


This Love of Ours

by lunabelle



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Angst, Drabble Collection, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Love, Marriage, Married Couple, Mild Sexual Content, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2018-06-06 00:17:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 96
Words: 81,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6729328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunabelle/pseuds/lunabelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of Andy/April prompts from tumblr.  This is a series of drabbles based off a single word or words.  Rating will change according to chapter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Obsession (Rated E)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

Hurried breaths and whispers against skin…this was all she needed now. Honestly, it was all she would ever need.

Andy’s hands are quick, his mouth quicker, and April can’t get enough. It would never be enough. As close as they could get, somehow her body was always begging to be closer, aching for more like an unquenchable thirst. His hands cover every inch of her that his lips can’t tend to. His rhythm is perfect and steady, rough and hungry, just like her desire.

His huge form covers her, towering over her as always, drowning out the moonlight breaking through the one open window. He’s all she can see, but she doesn’t need anything else. His lips crash against hers over and over, and April lets out little whimpers, tiny moans lost among the sounds of two bodies coming together.

 _“Harder,”_ it comes out in wet heat along his neck, and he obliges. Always, he obliges.

She pushes against his chest, and he knows to let her take control for a while. He knows that she needs this. Switching positions, April sits tall on top of him, his hands grasping her waist like he’s holding onto life itself, and she moves.

A groan escapes his lips, a deep, guttural rumble that shakes her from within, and she knows he won’t last much longer.

_More, she needs more._

Faster now, harder, she rides him, rolling her hips down again and again. His hands travel up, grasping at the soft skin of her breasts, and she leans down to kiss him once more.

 _“Amazing,”_ he whispers against her mouth, and she knows he means it.

His words give her life. She closes her eyes and her body responds in kind, tightening around him as she gasps for breath.

 _“That’s it,”_ he soothes, rubbing her back, praising her through it. _“C’mon, babe…that’s it…you’re so beautiful.”_

Her movements slow as she relaxes on top of him. Andy pulls her down for a kiss, his lips soft and hungry. It takes her a moment, and then he’s on top again, his pace frantic now as he searches for that same release.

 _“Please,”_ she begs him. She needs to feel him. She needs him to hold her and never let her go. _“Andy, please…”_ She leans up to suck on his neck, and his muscles tense above her.

 _“God, I love you,”_ he moans, and she can feel him empty hard inside her.

Full, sated, April goes limp under him as he slows to a stop. His chest swells in and out in ragged breaths as he turns her onto her side, his body perfectly lined up against her back. Brushing her hair aside, his mouth gets to work again.

_More, she needs more._


	2. Gunshot (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> *trigger warning: mention of gun/gunshots, so be warned*

Andy’s heart pounded as he kept hitting the “send” button on his phone. No answer, no answer, straight to voicemail every single time. Not even a ring tone.

April stood in front of the TV, silent and shaking, watching the news unfold. Neither of them had never felt so scared.

Gunshots had broken out at a concert venue not thirty minutes away. The same concert venue Jack had decided to attend a show at with a couple of friends from high school. On the television screen, police were swarming the scene, areas were being roped off, and people were scrambling around, unsure of what to do. No casualties were being reported, yet at the same time, Jack wasn’t answering his phone.

“Andy,” April’s voice shook. “Try him again.” She stared blankly ahead, almost refusing to look away until she caught a glimpse of his face on screen.

“I’m trying,” Andy replied in a low voice. “He’s not picking up. His phone must be dead.”

April coughed out a sob, clutching her arms to her chest. Feeling useless, Andy put down the phone and focused on his wife instead.

“It’s okay, babe,” he said softly, wrapping her in his arms. She turned her head against him immediately, hiding her tear-stained face in his shirt as he rubber her back. “I’m sure he’s fine. We would’ve known something by now—“ 

Andy was interrupted as the front door burst open and Jack hurried though, closing it shut quickly behind him. Their son stared at them, a look of relief on his face for only a second before both his parents rushed over and pulled him into their arms.

“Oh my God,” April whispered, rubbing her son’s face as though she couldn’t believe he was real. “Jack, you have no idea—“

Andy tried hard to keep his composure, but it was proving rather difficult. He pulled his son to him and hugged him tight, not saying a word.

“We got outta there as soon as it started getting crazy,” Jack said, his voice muffled by his father’s arms. “I don’t know if anyone got hurt, but that was insane. They started shutting everything down, police were everywhere.”

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” April choked out, looking a little more angry now, but still relieved more than anything.

“Mom, I’m sorry…my phone died…I should’ve called you another way. I was just focusing on getting back.”

“That’s all that matters, buddy,” Andy sighed, finally releasing him from his grip.

April fell onto the couch, her hand over her mouth as she began to come to terms with the fact that her son was home…he was safe.

As Jack hurried up to his room, Andy took a seat beside her, gently pulling her to him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared,” she whispered, grabbing hold of his hand.

“No,” Andy shook his head. “I don’t think so…not in a long, long time.” He rubbed at his eyes. “I was about five minutes from going to look for him.”

“He’s never leaving the house again,” April muttered.

“Honey…”

“Andy, he’s our baby and I thought we lost him,” she said, her voice reaching near-hysterics as it rose in pitch.

“But we didn’t,” Andy reassured her. “He’s fine, he’s home, and horrible things like this happen sometimes. He was smart and he did the right thing.”

April nodded. Andy knew she was just overreacting, but that didn’t stop him from comforting her for the rest of the night. He knew it was going to be a rough sleep for the both of them.


	3. Anticipation (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some Mother's Day fluff for ya!
> 
> Requested anonymously on tumblr

The airport was busy that Sunday morning. Way too many stupid people milling about for April’s liking. It was making her frustrated, especially when all she wanted to do was get the hell out of there. It seemed like forever until her luggage showed up, and even longer to get to the escalator to the main floor. 

She was tired. After a weeklong work trip, she wanted nothing more than to see her husband and baby. All she had to do was grab a taxi, and she’d finally be on her way home.

As she made her way down the annoyingly slow escalator, April looked out into the crowd. What she wasn’t expecting to see was Andy’s smiling face, waiting beside a column at the bottom of the moving stairs with Jack squealing excitedly by his feet. While one of her husband’s hands securely held onto their one-year-old’s, the other clutched a bundle of flowers.

“Mama!” she heard Jack yell loudly, his voice shrill among the crowd, and she couldn’t help but flash them a huge smile.

She thought she missed them a lot while she was gone. It wasn’t until she saw the both of them waiting there that she realized exactly how much.

“Hi baby!” April shouted, hurrying forward and pushing through the other people getting off the escalator.

Jack broke free from his father’s grip, wobbly on his legs as he rushed forward to meet her. Mid-run, he tripped over his own feet, tumbling face-first to the floor. Andy rushed forward, trying to suppress his grin at how adorable the whole thing honestly was.

April reached Jack just as the little boy looked up, his face red and scrunched as the tears welled behind his eyes. She scooped him up, hugging him tightly against her.

“Shhh, oh sweetheart,” she whispered, kissing the side of his head just as Andy arrived at her side. “Mama’s got you…oh, I missed you so, so much.” Jack’s little arms clung tightly around her neck, his face buried in her shoulder.

“C’mere,” Andy said, pulling the both of them into his huge embrace. He tilted her head up for a kiss. “Missed you so much babe.”

“I missed you both,” April said softly. “This week was torture.”

“Mama,” Jack said sleepily, his little hands playing with the chain of her necklace.

“Are those for me?” April smirked, eyeing the bouquet of flowers.

“I know you don’t like flowers babe,” Andy grinned, kissing her again. “But these are from Jack, and you can’t say no to him.”

“You’re right, I can’t,” she laughed.

“Happy Mother’s Day,” Andy whispered against her hair, holding her close. “Let’s go home.”


	4. Troubling Thoughts (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

April wasn’t exactly sure what it was that caused her to wake up at nearly three o’clock that morning. Their children were fine, and there wasn’t a sound coming over the baby monitor from their newborn’s room. Reaching over to her right, her hand brushed over empty sheets, feeling nothing but a warm spot where Andy normally slept. The absence of his body was the likely culprit.

“Andy?” she called softly, sitting up and squinting through the darkness.

When no one answered, she got up to check the bathroom. Empty.

“Andy?” she tried again, keeping her voice low and level, lest she wake one of the kids. That was something _nobody_ wanted.

Stepping lightly down the hallway, she noticed a light was on in Emma’s nursery. She peered through the door.

Andy was sitting in the rocking chair, staring quietly out the window with Emma spread across his chest. Her little arms were splayed out, and her head rested snugly under his chin. She was fast asleep.

“Babe?” April whispered.

Andy turned around slowly, giving her a tiny smile as he rocked back and forth.

“What’s going on? Did she…did she wake up? I didn’t hear her—“

“No,” Andy shook his head. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d come in here for a bit.”

He looked tired…dark circles surrounded his eyes.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he nodded stiffly. He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“Andy…” April narrowed her eyes, a warning tone to her voice. He knew better than to keep things from her. “What’s wrong?”

He sighed, gently rubbing his daughter’s back. “I was just thinking, you know…about when the kids are a bit older, and Emma is Jack’s age.”

“Why were you thinking about that?” April asked, leaning against the wall in front of him. “That’s so far away, Andy…”

“Because these last nine years went by so fast,” he continued. “Before we know it, Jack will be in college, and Emma will be the age he is now, and who knows if I’ll even be here.”

His words hit her hard. She didn’t like what he was saying, or where he was potentially going with this.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, her voice a little harsher than intended. “Of course you’re going to be here.”

“April,” Andy looked up, and she could see the pink in his eyes. “I’m fifty-one years old.”

“So what?”

“So, my dad died when I was eight. How do I know it’s not going to be the same for me…y’know? DBA or something…”

“DNA,” she corrected him. “And that’s not going to happen. Your dad was in an accident. That isn’t hereditary. You need to stop thinking about this.”

“I just want to be here to see her grow up,” he said sadly, looking down at the sleeping baby on his chest. “I want to be here to see her graduate high school, and maybe even get married—well, actually…I don’t want our girls to get married. No boys allowed.”

April gave him a tiny smile. Stepping forward, she bent down to kiss his forehead.

“Come on,” she tugged at his sleeve. “Let’s go back to bed, okay? I can’t fall asleep without you, and Emma’s bound to wake me up to eat in an hour anyway.”

Andy nodded, slowly sanding up and carefully laying his daughter in her crib. They watched as her little arms wobbled, trying to get used to the shifting position.

April wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning into him. He draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.

“I don’t want you to think about those things,” she said softly, looking up at him. “I get it, I do. Sometimes we have these thoughts that just…won’t go away, I guess. But you’re here. We’re married. We have four pretty awesome kids. And you’re going to be here for a long time, okay?”

Andy smiled, nodding as he bent down to kiss her head. “Sorry babe,” he whispered. “Didn’t want to make you upset.”

“It’s fine,” she shrugged, tugging him toward the door. “C’mon…”

It took her a while to fall back asleep that night. Smushed up against him like always, April thought hard about what Andy had said. It hurt her to know that this was something he was worrying about, because she never liked to see him upset. She was the one who was supposed to brood and get nervous about stuff…he was supposed to be the eternal optimist.

“Love you,” she whispered, not really expecting him to answer. “You’re not going anywhere without me, understand?”

Without warning, she felt him pull her closer.

“Love you too,” he whispered. “I understand.”


	5. Seeking Solace (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the ever-wonderful meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :)

The banging was loud enough that Andy could hear it though his headphones. Clattering, heavy sounds were coming from the second floor. Rolling his eyes up toward the ceiling as though he could see the commotion through the floor, he put down his guitar and decided to investigate.

Stepping though the myriad of boxes mostly unpacked, and only tripping over one of Champion’s toys once, he hurried upstairs to see what April was up to.

She was sitting on her knees on the floor of their bedroom, her head in her hands. Clothes and possessions were everywhere. The bed was covered in what looked like Andy’s entire sock drawer, and more cardboard boxes were in every corner.

“Honey,” Andy said, looking around quickly before his eyes came to rest on her shaking figure. “April, you okay? Are you…are you crying?”

Lifting her head, April stared back at him with wet, red eyes and tearstained cheeks. She was breathing quickly, her chest having in and out as she tried to regain her composure.

“April!” Andy closed the distance between them immediately. Kneeling beside her, he pulled her into his arms, where she clung to him tightly. “What’s wrong?”

“I c-can’t do this, Andy,” she sobbed, wetting his shirt as she pushed her cheek into him. “I’m such an idiot—why did I think this was a good idea?”

“What?” he asked nervously, trying to understand. “What wasn’t a good idea?”

“This!” she gestured wildly around the room. “Taking that stupid job! Moving to stupid Washington DC…everything!”

“Babe, we still have a few days,” he said soothingly, rubbing her shoulder. “We don’t have to pack everything today.”

“That’s not it,” she muttered miserably. “Everything is changing, and everything is just…it’s stupid. I should’ve never asked you to do this. You had to quit your show, we have to sell this stupid asylum house and we just bought it. You have to find a new job, and I have no idea why I agreed to do this.”

“Hey, hey…shhh,” he rocked her in his arms, his chin resting on her head. “Everything’s going to be fine,” he whispered. “This is the best thing…we are gonna have so much stuff to look forward to, okay? Ben and Leslie are gonna be there, and we’re gonna be in a new city! You’re going to kick ass at your new job, I know it. And don’t worry about me, I’ll find something.”

“What if you don’t?” she groaned. “What if you end up hating me because of what I made us do—“

“April,” Andy pulled her apart from him so he could look at her face. “What did I tell you that night? The last Johnny Karate episode? I told you we were going to make it all work. I told you it didn’t matter, as long as I was with you.”

April rolled her lips, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Andy stared at her, watching her beautiful brown eyes search his face.

“I know,” she said softly.

“And what did I tell you when we got home that night?” he asked.

“You, um,” she sniffed. “you said everything was going to be all right, and that you loved me more than any job in the entire world.”

“What else?” he gave her a soft smile.

“You said even more than a job as quarterback for the Colts,” she laughed softly, rubbing at her eyes.

“And you should know babe, better than anyone…I’d give a whole lot for that dream job,” he nodded, rubbing her back.

April pulled him against her, hugging him tightly. “I love you,” she said against his chest.

“I love you too,” he replied. “C’mon…I think you’ve packed enough for today.”

April let him lead her back into the hallway and down the stairs. Andy didn't know any sadness that couldn’t be cured with some ice cream…or cuddling on the couch. Either way, it was going to be a good rest of the day.


	6. Everything For You (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's take a trip back to season 3, shall we?  
> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr! :D

“Go big or go home,” Andy repeated the phrase to himself like a mantra as he left Leslie’s office. “You need to go big, Dwyer…you don’t have a home.” He turned the corner, heading back to the shoeshine stand.

What could he do? He’d already wasted so much time. April’s new boyfriend, Bernardo or whatever…he already had the upper hand. Andy had to get back on top. As he sat down in one of the shoeshine chairs, he put his chin in his hand and thought hard.

 

The flowers didn’t work. Andy shook his head bitterly at the thought, remembering how he watched through the courtyard window as April gathered them up and tossed them into the trash in a giant heap. He needed to do something different. She obviously didn’t like flowers…that much he understood.

He stopped at the cafeteria first thing Monday morning and bought April a coffee. He figured he couldn’t go wrong with that…she loved coffee. She drank it all the time.

“Here ya go,” he announced, placing the hot beverage on her desk and smiling broadly.

“What’s this?” April asked, eyeing the cup before glancing up at him.

“I thought you might like some coffee,” he shrugged. “Y’know, to start your day off right and stuff.”

April scoffed at him, not a smile to be seen. “I don’t drink coffee anymore.”

“What? Yes, you do!” Andy laughed. “I saw you drinking some when you came in this morning.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Okay, first of all, why are you spying on me when I walk in? And second, I don’t drink it anymore, okay? _Eduardo,”_ and she stressed the name, making Andy’s stomach clench, “brought me breakfast already. You know, my _boyfriend._ He actually knows what I like.”

Andy’s heart sank at her words, and he felt even worse as he watched her take the cup and toss in into the nearest trashcan.

 

“Ron, please help me?” Andy stood in front of the director’s desk, his hands clasped in front of him as though he was begging. “Just give her the note for me, okay? She’ll listen to you. She likes you most of all, I think.”

“Andrew, I’m not playing into this whole thing you two have got going on,” Ron’s mustache twitched. “Whatever the issue is, you should deal with it like adults.”

“She won’t talk to me, Ron,” Andy said miserably. “She won’t even look at me anymore. How can I get anywhere with her?”

“I’m sorry, son,” the older man shook his head. “Not getting involved.”

“Fine,” Andy muttered, stepping out of Ron’s office. Miserably, he slumped into a chair at the round center table.

“What’s bothering you, handsome?” Donna asked, looking up from her keyboard.

“I’m trying to give April this note,” Andy held the paper up. “It’s a scavenger hunt…and I was hoping she’d forgive me once she reached the end of it.”

Donna eyed him curiously. “So why can’t _you_ give it to her?”

“Because she won’t listen to me,” Andy shrugged. “I thought Ron could give it to her, but he said no.”

“I’ll do it,” Donna said.

“Really?” 

“Hell yeah,” Donna nodded. “I got your back.”

“Donna, you’re the best!” Andy smiled, handing her the little folded paper. “Thank you so much.”

“No problem,” she grinned back at him.

Feeling elated, he marched out of the office, passing April on her way back from lunch.

“What are you smiling about?” She looked at him suspiciously. 

“Nothing,” he said, turning the corner that led back to his stand. “Nothing at all…”

 

April’s desk phone rang loudly as she flipped through her newest magazine. With a grunt, she picked it up, and just as quickly hung up on whoever it was, trying to ignore Donna as the other woman sidled up to her desk. When she wouldn’t walk away, April looked up with an annoyed expression.

“What?”

“Just wanted to give you this,” Donna said, dropping a badly folded piece of looseleaf paper in front of her.

“What is this?” April picked it up, frowning at it.

“Don’t know. I’m just the messenger.”

April unfolded it slowly, watching as Donna walked back to her desk without another word. It was covered in messy handwriting and badly drawn pictures. She honestly didn’t know what half the words said, but she recognized Andy’s handwriting right off the bat. Rolling her eyes, she tossed it in her desk drawer and went back to her magazine.

“Hey guys,” a familiar voice called through the office.

April looked up just as Andy was passing through. He kept throwing sideways glances her way, trying to keep his face uninterested.

“Good afternoon, Andy!” Jerry said, in his annoyingly cheerful voice.

“Jerry,” Andy nodded at him. “Donna…April…” he looked around. “And um, Leslie, wherever she is.”

“Oh, she and Tom went to the police to talk to the chief about that guy who handcuffed himself to her office,” Jerry said pleasantly. “She said he’s—“

“God, Jerry!” April burst out suddenly. “No one cares!”

She watched Andy study her. She knew he was trying to figure out if she’d gotten his stupid note. God, he was so dumb, sometimes.

“What are you staring at?” She leered at him from her desk.

“I’m just looking around,” he shrugged. “Guess I’ll catch you guys later.” Andy left, looking back once more as he disappeared down the hallway.

With another roll of her eyes, April tore open her desk drawer and pulled out his note. From what she could tell, it said something to the effect of, “Go to the parking garage and find Ron’s car.” There was a picture of a car, Andy’s red motorcycle he crashed, and a random guitar that looked more like a frying pan.

She bit her lip. To give in to this would go against everything she was trying to do. Then again, she was oddly curious. Making her mind up quickly, she decided to make the trek to the garage. What’s the worst that could happen, anyway? At least she could make fun of him for it if it was as lame as she imagined.

 

The parking garage was filled with the typical vehicles. April looked around for Ron’s maroon-colored car. It was parked in the corner, like always, right next to the wall. She looked around it, on top of it, and under it, searching for some type of second clue. She found nothing.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she started walking back, when she noticed something on another maroon car in the next row down. On the hood was a stuffed puppy, with his paws around a copy of Mouse Rat’s newest CD. There was also one of her favorite veggie muffins, along with a bag of M&Ms that were customized to say, “Jerry Sucks” in black lettering.

Maybe he was clueless, and didn’t know that a real scavenger hunt had more than one clue. Maybe he was an idiot who couldn’t even pick out the correct maroon car. Maybe she hated him for kissing Ann. Maybe deep down, she really, really missed him, and it was making her miserable. Either way, in that moment, April smiled.


	7. A Place To Belong (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“Honey, Jack loves waffles! Look!”

April looked up from her coffee, lost in thought about the day ahead. Sure enough, her son was devouring piece after piece of syrupy, whipped-cream covered waffles. His face was a sticky nightmare, and he had long since abandoned using a fork, but he looked beyond happy. She couldn’t stop smiling at him.

“He eats like his dad,” she mused, wiping a bit of cream off his nose with her finger. “Devours everything in front of him.”

“Takes after me, what can I say,” Andy said, watching his boy proudly.

They had a million things to do while on their short visit back to Pawnee, and breakfast was top priority. What better place—according to Andy—to introduce their one-year-old to than JJ’s diner?

“So, after this, we need to stop by my parent’s house,” April grimaced, counting on her fingers. “Your mom’s place, where hopefully your brothers will be too so we don’t have to make too many trips…”

Andy nodded, cutting up a second waffle for Jack.

“Then we stop by Ron’s, and finish up with Tom,” she said. “I think that’s it.”

“Sounds great, babe,” Andy replied, as Jack dug into to his second helping. “Glad we got to come home for the weekend.”

“Yeah, although this isn’t our home anymore,” April pointed out, taking a sip of coffee and sighing.

“Yes it is, babe,” Andy bit into his own waffle. “Pawnee will always be our home. I mean, Jack was even born here…even if he was technically made in Washington DC—“

“Andy,” April cut him off, staring at him pointedly.

“Sorry,” he said. “Anyway, the point is, no matter where we might end up, this place will always be home to me. It’s where I met the most important person in the world.” He stared at her with soft eyes and a wide smile.

She grinned back at him, reaching for his hand across the table. “You’re right,” she nodded, rolling her lips. “You’re always right about these things.”

“Know what else I’m right about?” Andy raised his eyebrow.

“What?”

“How I said we should pack like five extra outfits for Jack.”

April looked at their son, her eyes roaming over his sticky face, shirt, hands and hair…and was grateful that Andy was literally the best dad in the world.

“More?” Jack squeaked, looking completely satisfied with himself as he stared at his parents.

“Yeah,” April nodded, trying to hold back a laugh. “You called that one, babe.”


	8. Mist (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little early relationship A/A fluff ;)  
> Requested anonymously on tumblr

The shower turns on with a soft hiss, and at once the bathroom is enveloped in steam. April steps into the tub, soaking herself in the hot spray of the shower head, lost in the bliss of the moment. She lived for little times like this, when she could be alone with her thoughts. She didn’t think it could get any better.

She was _so_ wrong.

Andy steps in behind her, the water bouncing and glistening off his chest and shoulders as he massages soap down her back in gentle circular motions. Running his fingers though her hair, he bends forward just a little…enough to add a warm kiss to her shoulder blade.

“Mmm,” she shivers, taking it all in.

“Love you,” he whispers just above her ear, his voice almost completely masked by the sound of the water. His eyes still have that early morning look to them, but his smile couldn’t be warmer.

“Love you too,” she turns around in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and leans up to meet his mouth in a kiss. “I think you should sleep over more often,” she mumbles against his lips.

“I think we should _do it_ more often,” he replies with a chuckle.

 _Yes,_ she thinks, as she laughs and kisses him again. This was something she could definitely get used to.


	9. Colorful (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr
> 
> *I've been super into writing Jack at this age lately...*

The colors lit up the comforter like a thousand tiny crystals dancing across the fabric. April watched her son watch them move, his dark brown eyes darting back and forth while one hand clutched the white cotton of her shirt. As interested as he was, he still refused to move away from her. 

April didn’t mind. She loved how her baby cuddled against her. In fact, it was the single most amazing feeling in the world—tied only with the way she felt when she was curled up against her husband.

“Mama,” Jack cooed softly, reaching a tiny, cubby arm out to try and grasp the lights.

She smiled, chuckling softly at his innocence, and a little at herself for falling this hard for the little boy she and Andy had created. He was absolutely perfect.

She had been so close to burying the window decoration her parents had sent her deep in her closet, never to see the light of day. It was ridiculous looking…a tacky red flower surrounded by different hues of green and blue. One of those glass decorations that was supposed to hang in the window and catch the light as it came in.

It was only when Jack saw it that she changed her mind. He was fascinated by it. She couldn’t deny him anything.

“See the colors, baby?” she whispered, stroking his dark hair.

“Dada,” Jack replied, looking away from the rainbow for a moment and craning his neck around the room.

“Dada will be back soon,” she smiled. “He went to go get us some dinner.”

Jack seemed satisfied with her answer. He turned his head back toward the window.

The front door opened and closed with a soft snap, and April heard Andy moving around downstairs. It was only a matter of time before his heavy footfalls reached the staircase.

“Hey,” he said, peering into the room. He smiled, the same bright, warm smile he always wore when he saw his wife and son together.

“Dada!” Jack pushed his little body up quickly, stumbling a little on the mattress as April steadied him.

“Hey big man,” Andy laughed, as he walked to the other side of the bed to stretch out beside them. He scooped Jack up in the process. “How’s my boy?”

Jack smiled, reaching forward to run his hand over his father’s scruffy cheek. “Dada home,” he said proudly.

“That’s right,” Andy nodded, scooting closer to April in the process. “I’m home, and I brought us a yummy pizza.”

“Dada, see?” Jack pointed to the lights.

“I do see, buddy,” Andy said, following the boy’s finger as he moved it to the different colors.

Jack slid out of Andy’s arms, scooting back over to his mother. He promptly grabbed a fist full of her shirt again, still staring at the dancing lights.

“He loves it so much,” April said softly, turning to face Andy. “We’ve been lying here for an hour now.”

“I can take over if you want,” Andy suggested, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “You can go eat, and I’ll wait.”

“No, I’m fine,” she smiled, watching Jack’s eyes dart around. “I’m right where I want to be.”


	10. Coping (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, don't hate me. I cried my eyes out while writing this. Side note: I will never write anything like this again.
> 
> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr

It was a cold day in October. The autumn winds created spirals of leaves that danced across the hundreds of grey stones, lined up side by side in the fading grass of the cemetery. Jack sat in his usual spot, cross legged in front of one of the newer headstones, still bright and roughly cut compared to its many companions. The letters had barely begun to weather.

“Hey dad,” Jack said softly, brushing away some dead leaves caught at the base of the stone. “How’s it going?”

He wasn’t expecting an answer. There would never be an answer again. Yet when the wind blew and ruffled his hair and jacket, he felt more comforted than he had in a long time.

“So believe it or not,” Jack took a deep breath. “Lot’s of stuff’s happened since the last time I talked to you. Weird, right?” He looked up at the sky, before laying his eyes across the lettering bearing the name “Dwyer” in a large, capitalized font. “I wanted to be the first to tell you this…I know you’d have gone crazy. I got drafted to the Colts.”

He paused for a moment. He liked to think that his dad, wherever he was, was celebrating in his own way at these words. It had been a dream for his son that he never got to witness during his own life.

“Yeah,” Jack smiled. “Mom cried for days when we found out. She kept telling me they were happy tears, but I know her better than that. She knows how happy you’d have been. I asked if I could have my name shortened to “Dwyer” on the back of the jersey. Mom said it was okay. She knows why I wanted to do it, so she understands. Also, guess what else? I’m number eighty-seven. They gave me Reggie Wayne’s old number.”

He rubbed at his eyes, swiping away the annoying tears that had started to gather in the corners. He told himself he’d never cry when he came to visit.

“What else,” he coughed, trying to clear the lump in his throat. “Melody’s wedding is in a couple of weeks. She’s been stressing like crazy trying to get everything done, but of course she will. She’s good like that. Don’t worry though…the guy’s all right.” Jack smiled. “You’d have liked him, I think. I gave him a bit of a hard time in the beginning, but that was only because I had to make sure he was good for her. I’m gonna be walking her down the aisle at the ceremony.”

Another breeze rattled the trees as he spoke. By now, it was starting to get dark.

“Allie’s doing great…med school is definitely agreeing with her. I don’t know how she studies so hard, but she’s so smart,” he laughed for a moment, before his face fell. “Emma’s been having a tough time though…she uh…she’s not going to college right now. Wants to stay home with mom. I guess she’ll go eventually, but right now she said she just can’t do it.”

Lights began to pop up in various places, as the sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon. Jack stood up, facing the stone once more. He knew it was time to go, yet whenever he came here, he never felt as though he spent enough time. There would never be enough time.

“I miss you so much, dad,” he said softly, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “We all do. Mom’s getting so thin these days… She says she’s okay, but we all know she’s barely eating. We try to get together whenever we can, you know? Keep her company. It’s just getting harder and harder…we’re all always busy, it seems. We talk about you all the time, though. That’ll never change.”

He placed one hand on the top of the stone, brushing away a single leaf the wind must’ve missed. “I love you dad,” Jack said, patting the marble. “I’ll always love you.”

With that, he turned, heading toward the exit.


	11. Adoration (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We could all use something fluffy after that last chapter. ;)  
> Requested anonymously on tumblr

April would’ve never thought it possible. It was a strange feeling. Contrasting completely to what she originally thought, and although she wouldn’t admit it to anyone else…she actually really loved being pregnant.

The funny thing was, it wasn’t for the reasons she originally expected. The puking, the stretch marks, the veins and all that other weird stuff…it definitely wasn’t as awesome as she thought it would be. Not by a long shot. This disappointing revelation was _also_ something she wouldn’t admit to anyone else. After all, she prided herself on her weirdness.

What it really was, the thing that made everything amazing and perfect and kind of wonderful, was the way Andy treated her. It wasn’t as though he treated her better now, now that she was pregnant, than he ever did before. He _always_ treated her like a queen, and oftentimes, April felt as though she didn’t deserve him.

Yet there was a tenderness that wasn’t there before. A softness whenever he was around her. The way his eyes drooped happily when he gazed at her protruding stomach. The way his smile lit up whenever he felt a kick. The way he held her while they slept, as though she was this delicate thing made of porcelain that could break at any given moment.

She loved him with everything she had. He made this whole thing worth it.

“You’re beautiful,” he said for the seemingly hundredth time that morning, as the two of them lay wrapped in each other’s arms in bed, their breakfast of stale donuts and cookies forgotten.

April smiled against his chest, her fingers running over his collarbone repeatedly. It soothed her in some strange way that she couldn’t fully explain.

“You told me that five minutes ago,” she mumbled, running her other hand over her stomach, feeling for the telltale sign that their baby was awake and listening for their voices. It had been happening more and more lately. Whenever she and Andy were together like this, the kicks would get stronger.

“It was true five minutes ago,” Andy chuckled, covering her hand with his own much larger one. “And it’ll be true five minutes from now, too.”

She just didn’t deserve him.

“Andy,” she said, tilting her head up to look at him.

“Hmm?”

She paused, unsure what she could possibly say that could encompass everything she was feeling in that exact moment. Instead, she leaned up to kiss him.

“Love you,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

“Love you so much,” he replied, smiling when he felt that first morning nudge against his skin. “Baby’s up,” he added happily.

“Mmhm,” April sighed. “If only he or she would go back to bed, so _we_ could get some more sleep.”

“I can help you with that, babe,” Andy whispered.

Before she could respond, he began to softly sing. She didn’t recognize the words…it had to be something new that he’d made up. Either way, in a matter of minutes the kicking subsided, and April felt herself drifting off against him.

“Don’t stop,” she said softly, as she felt her eyes getting heavy. “Please?”

He didn’t.

Andy sang long into the morning hours, cradling her the entire time.


	12. Tired (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

They fell back against the mattress hand in hand, still dressed in the clothes they’d had on all day. It was silent, save for their soft breathing. Together, they stared at the ceiling fan as it spun continuously above them.

April was the first to break the silence.

“So,” she sighed, closing her eyes and bringing her free hand up to rub her temple. “We’re good, right?”

Andy tilted his head to the side, too tired even to look her in the eyes. He nodded, yawning huge.

“Four parent-teacher conferences, one sick kid home early, three and a half dinners because Emma spilled hers on the floor,” he thought hard, squeezing his eyes shut. “Dog was walked, ice cream stain cleaned up off the floor. You?”

“Kids bathed, put into pajamas, brushed teeth, read books…and with the exception of Jack who’s trying to play his video game without us noticing…all sleeping in bed.”

“We’re awesome,” Andy laughed softly, lazily reaching his free hand over for April to high-five.

She smiled and returned the gesture, before scooting closer to him.

“Best parents ever,” she yawned.

There was a few minutes silence…so peaceful after the insane day they’d had that both of them nearly fell asleep. Finally, Andy spoke up.

“Did you remember to eat?”

April turned to him and shook her head, her mouth turned up in a tiny smirk. “No, did you?”

“Nope,” Andy replied.

April stared into his tired green eyes, older now but still so full of life. Andy stared back, waiting. Finally, she burst into a fit of laughter. It wasn’t long before Andy joined in, squeezing her hand tighter as the bed shook from their fit, where they fell asleep not long after, still hand in hand.


	13. Dead Wrong (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place after the "laking" of the limousine in the season 6 episode, "Prom" :D  
> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“Okay,” Andy grinned, pulling April against him in the steaming tub of water. “Now tell me the truth. You had no idea your prom date had such an awesome after-party, planned, did you?”

April laughed softly, taking hold of her husband’s—or should she say, prom date’s—huge, newly muscled arms, and wrapping them around her torso. She leaned back against him, feeling more comfortable than she had all day.

“I had no idea,” she shook her head. “I thought we reached the high of the night when we laked the limousine. I had no idea how much more you had in store.”

“Well,” Andy’s hands played at her bare chest, swishing water around with his fingers. “Y’know, gotta make sure my date has the best time. Plus, we had to get out of those wet clothes.”

April sighed, breathing in the flowery fragrance of whatever bubble bath Andy poured in. Several hours ago, she sulked as they drove that stupid limo to the stupid high school. Now, here, wrapped in Andy’s arms in a bubble bath…it was amazing how much of a one-eighty the night had made.

“What else have you got planned for me?” she asked, turning her head slightly.

“It’s a surprise,” Andy replied in a sing-song voice. “But I’ll give you a hint, okay? It involves us staying naked. And our bed.”

“Oh wow,” April gasped in mock surprise. “I wonder what it could be.”

Andy kissed the back of her neck and chuckled, his grip around her a bit tighter.

“Hey babe, thanks for coming with me to that stupid prom,” he whispered, bringing one hand up to play with her hair. “It was dumb, but it meant a lot that you agreed to go…and rigging the whole prom king thing was so awesome. You’re the smartest wife in the world.”

“It was nothing,” she shrugged, shivering slightly at the absence of one of his arms around her. “I never went to my real proms, so…guess this makes up for it.”

“Never, huh?” Andy said, returning his arm to its previous position.

“Ew, no!” April grimaced. “I wouldn’t be caught dead at prom.”

“I went to both of mine,” Andy said softly.

“Did you go with the same dumb girl you went to senior prom with?” April asked, with more than a little bite to her tone. “Sarah what’s-her-face?”

“Nah,” Andy shook his head. “Junior year I went with this other girl…Carla Shawn.”

“Ugh, what a terrible name,” April mumbled.

“A group of us just went to JJ’s after…no crazy party or anything that year.”

“Wait,” April turned in the water, facing him. “JJ’s? Is that the night you—”

“Lost my virginity? No, that was a different time, before that. But yeah, that definitely happened in JJ’s bathroom.”

“Gross,” April muttered, shaking her head.

An odd silence fell over them. The only noises came from the little splashes of water against their skin whenever they shifted position.

“You okay babe?” Andy asked, after minutes had passed without another word.

“Yeah,” April replied, hugging her arms to her chest. The water seemed cold all of a sudden, and she had the sudden urge to get out.

“Hey,” Andy whispered, turning her around so her entire body was facing him. He pulled her up into his lap, as the water cascaded down her bare back and front. “I love you, more than anyone else I’ve ever known. I know you know that. Right?”

April nodded slowly.

“Those girls I’ve dated in the past,” he said, taking her chin in his hand. “They’ve got nothing on you.”

“Yeah?” Her voice came out in a tiny squeak. Andy smiled, bringing his lips to meet hers in a soft kiss.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “You’re the hottest, sexiest, most amazing, super awesome wife in the entire universe…and if I could go back in time, I would do everything the exact same way so I could be with you all over again.”

April smiled for real now, the huge, ugly weight she’d felt in her chest all day seemingly evaporated in an instant. Scooting as close as she could get, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I love you too,” she kissed him.

“So, what do you say we get outta this tub,” Andy eyed the door to their bedroom. “And we go finish the night the right way?”

“Sounds perfect,” April said against his lips, kissing him over and over now.

With a grunt, Andy grabbed hold of her legs and stood up, lifting her into the air. Totally abandoning the towels hanging on the door, he made straight for their room without looking back.

As he dropped her carefully onto the mattress, April only had one thought before her mind surrendered to wonderful bliss: this was the best stupid prom she’d ever been to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW, in a deleted scene from "Save JJ's," Andy tells the entire table about how he lost his virginity in the bathroom at JJ's diner, to which JJ replies, "Andy, you've gotta stop telling people that." :D


	14. Cold (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :D  
> Fluffy, fluffy fluff.

“Remember what I said, Andy,” April shoots him a warning glance. “No snowballs at me or the baby.”

“Babe, I would never!” he replies, affronted.

April nods, carrying their son—who at this point, looks more like a blue marshmallow in his myriad of snow clothes—over to where Andy is having the time of his life, making snow angels and tossing fistfuls of the powdery substance up in the air like a five-year-old.

“This is the best,” Andy laughs, as Jack eyes his father curiously, a smile on his scrunched up little face. “April, put him down so he can explore.”

April sighs, reluctantly placing their son in his little sled right next to where Andy was playing.

Jack reaches his gloved hand over the side, experimentally squishing the white fluff between his fingers.

“Cold,” he grunts, his little voice unsure.

“Yes, it _is_ cold baby,” April nods, rubbing her arms, wishing they could head back inside where it was warm, dry, and comfortable. “Hopefully daddy will be done soon.”

“Aw, honey,” Andy laughs, throwing another fistful of snow in the air before taking the harness of Jack’s sled. “C’mon…how often do we get to come back to Pawnee?”

“I dunno,” she mutters, her teeth chattering. “You know I hate the cold, Andy.”

“Jack loves it though,” he replies, tugging the sled along, eliciting a shriek of laughter from the toddler. “See?”

April couldn’t help but smile. Hey boys had that power over her.

“And it’s Jack in first place!” Andy shouts, running in circles in the front yard of the little cabin. “It’s a close one! I don’t know who’s gonna win—“

He gives one more great tug, turning at the last minute and grabbing the sled with both hands as Jack slides to a stop, his giggles loud and clear.

“And it’s Jack Ludgate-Dwyer for the win!” Andy shouts, lifting the boy up and holding him high in the air. “First place!”

April claps loudly, laughing despite how cold she was. Some moments in life are just worth the discomfort.


	15. Overwhelmed (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :)

“Babe?”

April’s voice was foggy, like it was a million miles away and right next to him all at once. Andy blinked several times, forgetting for a moment where they were and what he had to do.

“Honey…Andy?”

He felt her rubbing his back, and then it all came back to him in a rush.

“Hey,” he replied, his heart hammering and his head pounding. “Sorry…”

“Are you okay?” April squinted at him, grasping his wrist as he held the steering wheel, tight enough that his knuckles turned white. “Andy!”

“Yeah!” he said suddenly, taking a breath and remembering they were parked in front of a house. A house that he had to head into in five minutes for yet another Johnny Karate gig. In fact, it was the sixth gig he had to do in two days.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” April asked again, reaching out and stroking his cheek. “Maybe you should drink some water…”

“No, I’m fine…just…I need a minute.”

April stared at him nervously. Andy could feel the sweat dripping down his back. He didn’t understand why he was feeling this way all of a sudden. He only had one more party, and he was done for the weekend.

Then, the nagging thoughts got at him again. It was weird. He never felt this way usually, but for some reason, the thought that he just couldn’t do it weighed heavily on his mind. What if he screwed this one up? He’d only been doing this for a few weeks…yet somehow word had spread among the parents of Pawnee, and he was in hot demand. Every kid wanted Johnny Karate at their birthday party.

The payout was great. One hundred and fifty dollars a gig, and April would be sure to charge more for those who booked last minute. She was so smart. He never would’ve thought to do something like that.

“You’re going to be amazing,” April said softly, rubbing his shoulder. “Those kids are in there waiting for you, and they’re so, so excited.”

Andy turned to face her, giving her a tiny smile. She was his biggest supporter…she never doubted him, even when he had zero faith in himself.

“You think?” he whispered, resting his hand on hers.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Absolutely.”

That was really all he needed.

“C’mon,” he grinned.

Finally, they got out of the car. Slinging his guitar over his shoulder, he grasped April’s hand, and together they headed for the front door.


	16. Safe (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox and anonymously on tumblr!  
> *I know the green check mark is there, but I'm adding a few more prompts to this fic collection*

It was five minutes.

Five agonizing minutes where April thought her world was crumbling down around her in one fell swoop.

She never ever took her eyes off her children, especially when they were out in public. Parks were no exception. She knew all about the creeps out there who made it their mission to scout out kids and abduct them, and she swore that if anyone ever tried to pull that crap around her, it would mean the end of them in the most grizzly fashion.

Now though, looking down at her phone for only two minutes because of some stupid weekend work e-mail seemed to be all the time needed for her children to disappear on her. Panic flared up in her chest like fire as she turned her head every which way, looking for Jack and Allie.

“Jack?” she called loudly, looking through the hoard of other children, trying to find his head of messy dark hair among the crowd, and Allie’s strawberry blonde pigtails which were never far behind. “Allie!” They were only two feet away a moment ago. They’d been playing in the sand box.

Her heart was beginning to pound, and the telltale signs of a panic attack were imminent. Now, she started to run. Other mothers and caregivers watched her hurry past, some calling out to her, asking if she was all right. Their words were like wind to her, blowing past without really leaving an impression. She needed to find her kids.

She looked to all their favorite park staples, hoping to have merely missed them. The swings, the see-saw, the jungle gym…no luck.

She wished Andy were here too. If he was here, this would never happen, she was sure of it. He was such a better parent than her, it was laughable. He’d never let their children out of his sight, even for a second. At home with a particularly fussy Melody, he opted to stay in while the three of them enjoyed the day. Now, she realized she should have stayed home instead.

Tears were leaking out of her eyes as she reached the other end of the park, to no avail. She was about to collapse on the spot, shaking, take out her phone to call the police, when she saw them.

About ten feet away, under a large, shady tree, Jack and Allie were following the path of a large monarch butterfly. All at once, April’s chest unclenched, and she finally felt as though she could breath again. She ran to them, not stopping until she had pulled both of them in her arms.

“Oh my God,” she whispered, pulling them to her tightly, their little arms grasping around her neck. “Why did you guys leave Mommy like that? I was so scared something happened to you!”

“Sorry Mommy,” Jack said. “We saw the butterfly and chased it.”

“Butterfly, Mama,” Allie repeated, pointing somewhere to the left.

“Okay, it’s okay,” April laughed shakily, the tears of relief still coming no matter how hard she tried to hold them in. “I’ve got you now.”

 

Andy was waiting with lunch as soon as the three of them walked through the door. Right away, he caught the look on April’s face.

“Honey?” he asked, placing Melody in her basinet for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

She pulled him into the hallway, just out of sight of the kids. Immediately, she fell into his arms and burst into tears.

“Hey, hey!” he held her close, stroking her hair. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m a horrible mom,” she wailed softly.

“What?”

“I’m horrible, Andy. At the stupid park, I looked at my phone for two minutes and when I looked up again the kids were gone. I looked for them for five minutes…I thought something had happened to them. They’d just walked off…”

Andy stared at her, his eyes wide. She couldn’t tell if it was pity or disappointment.

“Turns out they’d just walked to the other end of the park, chasing some butterfly…but if I wasn’t so horrible, I’d have noticed,” she sniffed, hiding her face in his shirt.

“Shh, okay,” Andy said softly. “They’re fine now, babe…they’re home.”

“What if something had happened to them? What kind of mother takes her eyes off her kids at the park? You should have been there, not me. I suck at this, I—“

“April!” Andy held her shoulders, pulling himself away so he could look her in the eyes. “Honey, you’re the best mom in the world, okay? It was an accident. Don’t beat yourself up about it like this!”

“I just keep imagining what could have happened,” she said softly. “I’d never forgive myself.”

“I know,” he nodded. “I know. But they’re here. We’re all here. They’re safe. That’s all that matters, now.”

April wiped her eyes and allowed Andy to lead her back to the kitchen. Jack and Allie were eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches without a care in the world, happiness reading every inch of their faces. They had no idea how close their mother had come to falling apart.

Andy was right, though. All that mattered now was that they were home. They were here, and they were safe.


	17. Dream (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by sleeplessinstarshallow on tumblr! :D  
> The fic is loosely based on the word prompt, but I think you'll make the connection. At least I hope!

The little fussing sound from the bedside crate was enough for Andy to sit up faster than he’d ever moved in his life. The tiny, pink baby was thrashing his arms about, little whimpers emitting like squeaks from his little lungs. He took one look at April, who was fast asleep after a long, tiring labor.

Instead of waking her up, Andy carefully slid off the bed next to her and walked over to their son, who as of the moment, was still nameless. April deserved to rest for as long as she needed after how amazing she’d been. 

Besides, they had plenty of time to think of a name.

“Hey buddy,” Andy whispered, lifting the newborn out of his crate and cradling him in his arms, the way April and the nurses had shown him. “I’ve got you. How about we go sit so we don’t wake your ma, okay?”

Andy hoped their son wasn’t hungry again…because for that, he’d certainly have to wake April, and he really, _really_ didn’t want to disturb her. Then again, he’d eaten only an hour ago, and Andy remembered what the nurses had said about how sometimes babies just needed to be comforted. So, he took a seat in the rocking chair and leaned back comfortably.

The little baby stared up at his father, his eyes wide and dark as he relaxed against Andy’s chest.

“You’re so small,” Andy kept his voice low, smiling as he rocked. “God, how is it possible to be this small?”

The newborn cooed softly, his little mouth opening and closing in soundless movements while Andy looked on. He was mesmerized by his son. Everything that had happened in the last twelve hours had nearly been a blur, but it was all so amazing. He still hadn’t quite grasped the fact that only yesterday they were still just April and Andy. Now, they were April, Andy, and their new baby…and that was never going to change.

“I have so many thing to show you,” Andy said softly, brushing the palm of his son’s hand with his finger. Instinctively, the boy grasped for it, tugging in only the way a newborn would. Andy felt his heart swell.

“I hope you like music,” he continued. “I mean, I’m pretty sure you heard all those songs I sang and played for you while you were still in your mama’s belly, but if not, we’ll go over them again. Did you know your dad used to be in a band? It’s true…we were pretty popular, too. I mean, I think we were. That isn’t really important anymore, though. You’re what’s important to me, you and your mama.”

From across the room, April groaned softly and turned over in bed. She had dark circles under her eyes, and she was still a little pale, but she looked happy and comfortable. Once Andy was sure they hadn’t woken her, he turned back to their baby.

“We have a dog at home waiting to meet you too,” he smiled. “His name is Champion. We call him that because he’s the Dog World Champion. He’s only got three legs, so he can’t run very fast or dig holes. But you don’t care about that stuff, do you? I’m sure you guys will be the best of friends.”

His son yawned, his eyes getting droopy once more. Andy cradled him closer, keeping his rocking nice and steady to help ease him into sleep.

“We’ve got so many people for you to meet,” Andy yawned now too, his eyes feeling heavy. “And when you’re a little bigger, I’m gonna teach you how to play football. It’s the greatest sport in the world.”

By then, the baby was fast asleep once more. Andy stood up carefully and made his way over to the crate, gently kissing his son on the forehead before lowering him back down again. It was only when he was crawling back up beside April did he realize he’d had his first moment alone as a real dad, helping to get his son back to sleep without any other assistance.

He couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life just like this.


	18. Heart (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

It was another day in a long, long series of pre-natal appointments. April was growing weary of the month-to-month, now week-to-week visits, only because she usually had to take time out of work for them. That in itself was becoming a hassle, as one of her biggest projects before her upcoming maternity leave was looming over her like a shadow.

Also, finding someone to watch Jack while she and Andy went together was proving tougher, as the two-year-old was becoming increasingly more boisterous and difficult. April couldn’t blame him. Her energy had taken a major hit in the last couple of months, and at seven and a half months pregnant with baby number two, she could tell Jack was feeling the difference. He’d throw tantrums more easily, he was definitely more clingy, and often times didn’t want to leave her side, crying as she left for work.

This time, she’d suggested to Andy that they bring him along. Hell, he might even enjoy it. At least that’s what Andy thought…April wasn’t so sure.

“Ready big man?” Andy asked, carrying Jack on his shoulders as they entered the medical building.

“Daddy,” Jack gripped Andy’s hair, pointing at the clouds above. “Airplane!”

“Awesome!” Andy said happily. “Good eye, Jack!”

“I hope he can handle this appointment,” April sighed, leading the way into the office and checking in. “I mean, it could be cool, right?”

“Oh totally!” Andy nodded, setting Jack down by the office’s designated children’s toys, over by a table of magazines. “He’s gonna get to hear his little brother or sister’s heartbeat. I think he’ll love that.”

April smiled, watching her rambunctious toddler play with the old, wooden building blocks. He was a well-behaved kid, and she was proud to admit it. Yet she often wondered how their new addition would effect his happiness. When she was pregnant with Jack, she knew that she wanted him to have a brother or sister. Now, she was nervous that he might not be old enough to understand. She had to admit, getting pregnant the second time was fairly quick. They’d only been trying for two weeks when she’d missed her period and took the test.

“Super sperm,” Andy had joked, causing a massive eye roll from April and a smirk she couldn’t hide.

Yeah, he was probably right.

“Feeling okay, babe?” Andy asked her, holding her hand as they sat in adjacent waiting room chairs.

“Yup,” she squeezed his fingers. He asked her every single day.

“April?” a nurse called her in, and while Andy and Jack waited in the room (Jack scowling when he had to leave the toys), April’s vitals were taken.

“Ugh,” she groaned, once she was sitting on the exam table and the three were waiting for the doctor. “I’m gaining so much more weight with this baby than I did with Jack.”

“You still look beautiful though, honey,” Andy grinned. “Right Jack? Doesn’t Mommy look beautiful?”

“Uh-huh,” Jack nodded, hopping on and off the floor scale and beaming at his mom.

Her doctor breezed into the room, and immediately, Jack crawled onto his father’s lap. He was still a bit shy around new people, not unlike April when she was a child.

“Who’s ready to hear the heartbeat?” the doctor smiled, eyeing Jack in particular.

“We are!” Andy held Jack’s tiny hand up in the air. “Right Jack?”

Jack nodded silently, his head pressed against his father’s shirt.

“It’s really, really cool, baby,” April assured him. 

“Here we go!” The doctor took out the tiny machine, running it across April’s belly. Almost immediately, the pounding of the little heart filled the room. Jack perked his head up curiously, looking around for the source of the noise.

“Do you hear that, Jack?” the doctor asked kindly.

“Uh-huh,” Jack sat up a little, leaning forward in his seat.

“You know what that is?”

Jack shook his head.

“That’s the baby!” Andy said happily, pointing to April’s stomach. “That’s the baby in Mommy’s tummy! Remember, we talked about it?”

“The baby?” Jack repeated, still confused.

“The baby,” April nodded. “Your baby brother or sister, Jack. He or she is getting ready to meet you, but right no they need to grow a bit more.”

“Grow more?” he parroted back the phrases he was so desperately trying to understand. April gave a side glance to Andy, who was beaming.

“Who’s going to be the best big brother around?” Andy asked, kissing Jack’s head.

“Me,” Jack smiled slowly, staring at the little device in the doctor’s hand.

As they got ready to go, Jack kept eyeing his mother the entire time. He was sporting a brand new sticker that read “Big Brother” in bright blue lettering, and he wore it proudly. April kissed his cheek as Andy lifted him up. He was going to be fine, and he was going to be the best big brother around.


	19. Secret (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

April pulled into the school parking lot in a hurry. As they had planned, Andy was already there, waiting in their second car parked close to the front of the building. She rushed over to him as he stepped out of the vehicle, the same worried look on his face. Emma was sleeping soundly in the car seat as he unlatched it.

“Did they tell you anything?” she asked, as Andy held open the front door for her and they hurried inside.

“No,” he sighed. “Just that Jack was in the vice principal’s office and we needed to come down to get him.”

“What could he have possibly done?” April muttered, as the two of them made their way down the main hallway. “He never gets in trouble like this.”

“Dunno,” Andy shook his head. 

The main office was mostly empty, except for the secretary, and two other rooms with closed doors, one for the vice principal and the other for the principal herself. After checking in, April led the way into the vice principal’s office, where their son was seated on a chair in front of the empty desk, looking glum. Allie was seated next to him, their six-year-old daughter looking scared and nervous. When she saw her parents, she ran forward and jumped into her father’s arms.

“Daddy,” she sniffed, hugging him tightly. “I wanna go home now…I don’t wanna be at school any more today.”

“Hey…what happened, honey?” he asked, rubbing her back as April tended to their son.

“Jack,” April bent down to his level, brushing some hair away from his forehead to reveal a large scrape and a small bruise. “What happened to you?”

“Nothing,” Jack shrugged, not meeting her eyes.

“It’s a secret,” Allie whispered against Andy’s shoulder. “We can’t tell anyone. Jack said not to tell.”

“Well, this is the type of secret you need to tell mom and dad,” April said sternly. “If you got hurt, we need to know why.”

Just then, the vice principal entered the room, carrying a small stack of folders.

“Mr. and Mrs. Dwyer,” he said briskly, taking a seat in his chair. “Thanks for coming down.”

“What happened?” April asked, narrowing her eyes. “Why is Jack even here?”

“Please take a seat,” the vice principal, Mr. Meyers, gestured to the empty chairs.

They did, April tapping her feet nervously as Andy rubbed her shoulder.

“The reason I called you here is because your son got into a fight with another fourth grader and a fifth grader at recess today.”

Andy looked over at Jack, his eyebrows raised.

“That true, Jack?” he asked.

“Yes,” Jack muttered, shrugging.

“What was the fight about?” April asked. “Why was our daughter involved?”

Mr. Meyers cleared his throat. “From what I was told, the other two children were making fun of some of the second graders…your daughter included. Your son intervened, and tackled them to the ground. Punches were thrown, as you can see. Your daughter got so upset, she was nearly inconsolable. We bought her along so she could sit with her brother and calm down.”

April glanced at Jack, who was staring at the ground nervously. Her heart ached for him, mostly because he thought he was doing the right thing by protecting his little sister. She was beyond proud of him for that…he just happened to go about it the wrong way.

“You are aware that our school has a no tolerance policy for fighting. We have no choice but to suspend your son for the rest of the week.”

“The rest of the week?” Andy asked incredulously. “He’s nine years old!”

“He started a fight,” Meyers said. “He knocked one child’s tooth out.”

“He obviously wasn’t the only kid who threw a punch,” April pointed out, annoyed. “Look at his forehead!”

“The other children will be dealt with accordingly. We just kindly ask that you pack his things and bring him home.”

 

“Jack,” April eyed him from the rear-view mirror as she drove him home. “I just want you to know…you did a good thing by protecting your sister.”

“I got in trouble,” Jack mumbled.

“I know, and I’m not saying it was right to start a fight, because it wasn’t,” April added. “But…the fact that you stood up for Allie when you realized someone was saying mean things to her…well, that’s something that only an awesome big brother would do. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks,” Jack finally cracked a small smile, meeting his mother’s gaze in the mirror. “You think dad is mad at me?”

“No way,” April shook her head. “If you ask your dad, you did the right thing. But still, don’t go around punching everyone who makes you mad. That’s not the way to handle situations.”

“What would you have done if you were me?” Jack asked.

April thought about it for a moment. It wasn’t that hard to come up with an answer.

“Honestly, I’d probably have put a dead frog in their desks or something…maybe a bag of dog poop. Who knows, but something to that effect.”

“Gross,” Jack laughed.

“I know,” April nodded. “I was more of a mental revenge type of girl,” she laughed along with him for a moment. “Baby, can I tell you a secret?”

“Yeah,” Jack sat up straighter, listening intently.

“When I was your age, I didn’t have a big brother to protect me like Allie, Melody and Emma do. So a lot of the time, if I got picked on, I had to deal with it on my own.”

“That’s too bad, Mom,” Jack said softly.

“Yeah,” April nodded. “It wasn’t fun. But I want you to know that your Dad and I love you more than anything, and what you did for your sister today was something she’ll never forget. And neither will we.”

“I’ll protect you too, mom,” Jack told her. “Promise.”

April had to wipe the wetness out of her eyes as she pulled into the driveway. She may have made some mistakes in her past. Her childhood may not have been very easy. Yet for as long as she lived, nothing compared to the fact that Jack, Allie, Melody and Emma would always be her greatest accomplishments.


	20. Hunger (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a "Kiss Prompt" series  
> Prompt: _"Hungry kisses on every bit of newly visible skin as clothing is slowly peeled away."_

Bad days were usually limited to work. There was really no such thing as a bad day at home, at least for April. Or bad nights…there were rarely ever any of those.

Andy just gets her. He’s always been the one to get her, more than anyone else ever has. So he knows when she needs something, like a hot bath. Or a massage, even though she tries to let him know in the nicest way that he’s not really that good at them. Still, she accepts them because it always comes from a place of love, and she loves _him._

She gets to show him just how much she loves him as she’s kissing from his lips, down to his neck. He’s warm, and a little sweaty which is kind of gross, but it’s Andy and that’s just part of him. His torso is so strong under her, as she sits and leans down across his chest to wind her fingers in his hair, if only to stop and kiss his ears for a little while because even that part of him is sexy. All of him is.

Andy runs his large hands down her back, painstakingly tugging at the hem of her shirt as he attempts to lift it over her head from his current position. He could go much faster, because she knows how quickly he can undress himself (and her, when he wants to), but right now he wants to take his time. So, carefully he flips them, and then it’s him kneeling over her, kissing and biting down her neck until he successfully pulls the shirt over her head in one motion, tossing it onto the floor.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, babe,” he breathes.

He stares at her for a moment with soft eyes, roaming over her body like he needs to see all of her before he can go any further. That softness turns to hunger, to want, to lust, and he attacks.

April wants this to be fair…and right now only one of them is shirtless. That can easily be fixed. So, when she yanks his shirt up over his head, if only to stare at his beautiful, strong body, her eyes get lost for a moment as Andy dives down to kiss all that was hidden from him under her clothing.

“Andy,” she moans softly, feeling the muscles in his arms tighten at the mention of his name, and she smiles.

She rewards him by wrapping her legs around his backside, little groans soft in his ears as he trails warm, yet hungry kisses from her breasts to her stomach.

His pants and boxers are next to go, joining the shirts in the growing pile on the floor. April can’t help but marvel at his body. The one he worked so hard for, the one she was afraid she would hate at first but grew to love because of how much healthier and happier he was. She sighs, because he’s all hers.

“I love you,” he whispers, kissing down her stomach and lower, as he pulls her skirt and panties down her legs agonizingly slow. Another inch, another kiss in the previously covered spot…until she’s naked underneath him. He leans over her and thrusts forward.

“I love you too,” she replies, meaning every word and then some as she arches into him.


	21. Dance (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy and Allie get ready to go to their first Father-Daughter dance, and April is having a hard time handling it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr! :D

_“Damn it, I told myself I wasn’t going to cry.”_

April breathed deeply to herself as she stood in the doorway to the kitchen, taking in the sight before her. Her handsome husband stood there, dressed in a new suit, placing a tiny corsage on their six-year-old’s wrist. Allie looked simply beside herself with excitement.

She swore she’d never be one of those moms who took pictures of every silly, cliche milestone. Whatever mindset she was in when she’d originally made that promise to herself went out the window the moment Jack was born. Now, she stood there, snapping photos on her phone unashamedly as Andy and Allie got ready for their first ever father-daughter school dance.

“Daddy, we ready to go now?”

“A couple minutes, honey,” he smiled at her as she grasped his large hand tightly, staring down at her green and pink dress.

April hated how old it made her look. Yet at the same time, she looked perfect in it. Her green eyes—Andy’s eyes—shone, the dress itself bringing out every fleck of color in her irises. Andy’s tie matched perfectly.

“How do we look, babe?” Andy asked her, his smile contagious. “I mean, I’ve never seen a prettier little girl, so I think it’s safe to say she looks beautiful,” he bent down to Allie’s level, pulling her to him in a tight hug.

April’s heart felt like it was constricting in on itself when she saw the look in her daughter’s eyes. Pure joy.

“You both look perfect,” she said, her voice thick with those annoying tears she refused to let flow. “You’d better get going if you want to get there on time.”

“Right,” Andy nodded. Taking Allie’s little jacket in his hands, he held it open for her as she put her tiny arms through it, careful not to squish her flowers.

April bent down to hug her daughter. “Have so much fun, okay baby?” she said softly. “You and daddy are gonna have the best time.” She kissed her cheek, before standing to give Andy a quick peck on the lips.

As she watched the car make its way out of the driveway and down the street, the happy tears finally started to fall. Maybe part of it was the pregnancy, as they were expecting their fourth baby in the summertime. Maybe it was because her children were growing too fast. Or maybe it was the image of the love of her life so happy, sharing this special moment with his first little girl, who couldn’t have been more excited about anything in her life.

Yeah, that last one was definitely it.


	22. Protected (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I've updated this one! How about some protective Andy?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a prompt series  
> Prompt: "We'll get through this."

“Andy, I can’t.”

April felt herself shaking, the talking points she had written down on flash cards trembling in her hands. She’d had no idea how large the crowd was going to be. It was a full auditorium. Leslie must have forgotten to fill her in on that little detail. Now she was supposed to give a presentation for the National Parks Service, and she felt like the walls were closing in on her.

She poked her head back behind the curtain and felt the cold dread chill her to the bone. “I can’t do this…”

“Hey, hey!” he stood behind her, pulling her against him and rubbing her back with large, firm, steady hands. “Yes, you can. I’ll be right behind this curtain, watching you from the side.”

“Leslie told me this was a short presentation for a small crowd!” she mumbled, closing her eyes against the fabric of his shirt. “There’s like five hundred people out there!”

“She’s probably used to much bigger crowds, babe. This is probably small to her.”

“Yeah, I know, but—Andy—I can’t do it.”

“Honey,” he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently massaged them. “You are going to be so, so awesome. I promise, we’ll get though this, and it’ll be over before you know it and we can go home.”

April took a deep breath. Andy was right, like always.

“Okay,” she kissed him quickly on the lips and ran through her cards once more.

“How long do we have?” he asked.

“Ten minutes,” she replied.

“Great, I’ll be right back honey. Bathroom,” he pointed, before sprinting down the hall. “I drank way too much coffee,” she heard him shout, his voice growing softer as he disappeared.

She couldn’t help but laugh to herself as she clutched the cards to her chest. She knew that as long as Andy was with her, she’d get through it. Lost in thought, April didn’t notice the man coming up beside her.

“Nervous?” he grinned at her. He may have been smiling, but his eyes didn’t convey any warmth.

“Do I know you?” she asked, scowling at him.

“No, but I know you,” he shrugged. “I work here, and I’ve seen you and your boss here for plenty of meetings and speeches.”

April took a half-step back. “What are you, a stalker?”

“No,” he laughed dryly. “I can be if you want me to, though.”

April could see his eyes travel up and down her body, and the cold shivers came back. “Ugh, go away,” she shook her head. “I have a presentation to give.”

She turned to face the other way, wishing Andy would hurry the hell up. 

“Need some help?” the man asked, reaching out to grab at the cards. “I’m really good at helping pretty women, you know—“

“No,” April pulled away. “I don’t want your help, I want you to get lost!”

“Aw, c’mon—“

“Hey.”

April’s heart thumped hard in her chest when she saw Andy standing there, his eyes on fire as he glared at the strange man.

“Hey,” the man looked annoyed. “Can I help you?”

Andy stepped forward and draped a protective arm around April’s shoulder. “Is there a reason you’re bothering my wife?” he asked, his voice low and angry.

“I—I didn’t know she was your wife,” the man stammered. “I was just…you know, seeing if she needed help.”

“I think I heard her say she wanted you to get lost,” Andy said slowly. “So why don’t you do that?”

Like most people they encountered, Andy was at least three inches taller than this creep. The guy looked intimidated, and shrank back immediately.

“Yeah,” he said quickly, backing down. “I’ll just…I’ve gotta get back to work.” And just like that, he turned and left the auditorium.

Andy watched him go, refusing to look away until he couldn’t see him anymore. Then he turned to April.

“You okay?” he asked, his eyes soft again.

“Yeah,” she smiled, pulling him into a hug. “I’m great, actually.”

“Did he say anything inappropriate to you, babe?”

“He didn’t get the chance.”

“Good.”

They stood there together, quiet in each other’s arms, until April could hear the event host approaching the mic.

“Guess I’m up,” she sighed.

“You gonna be okay?” Andy asked.

“Yeah,” she smiled, feeling a renewed energy that had nothing to do with the stupid speech she had to give. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” Andy smiled, his face lighting up. “always.”

“Always,” April repeated, letting go of his hand as she stepped out from behind the curtain.


	23. The Most Important Thing (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr as part of a little list of prompts ideas  
> Listed as: " _One of them has a really rough day and for some reason all they want to do is cuddle the other person but they haven’t done that before?? but it feels like a thing they should be doing"_
> 
> Since I prefer to write them as a couple already, I took this in a *slightly* different direction. Usually April's the one who likes to be comforted. This time, Andy needs it. ;)

“Andy,” April rushed around their bedroom, wrapped in a towel and still dripping from the shower. She was already running late, and she wasn't even dressed. “Honey, time to get up. I need help finding my stupid shoes, or else I’m gonna be late again.”

“Babe, I don’t feel so great,” Andy mumbled, pulling the covers up over his shoulders.

April raised her eyebrow, tossing the towel aside and quickly slipping into one of the new outfits she’d bought for her new job at the Foundation. It was odd for Andy to complain about anything, let alone stay in bed like this without her. It was even weirder for him not to stare when she ran around the house without anything on.

“Are you getting sick?” she asked, kicking aside some items on the floor until she uncovered her heels. “You seemed fine last night.”

“I dunno,” he sighed. “This morning I woke up feeling weird. Just don’t feel like doing anything.” He rolled over, burying his head deeper into the pillow.

April felt his forehead. Maybe it _was_ a bit warm, but then again, Andy always felt like a furnace.

“You want me to make you some toast or something?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. “I’ve got about fifteen minutes until I have to leave.” She ran her hand through his hair, and pulled it away more sweaty than usual.

“No,” he replied quietly. “I’m not hungry.”

Technically, she could call out and stay home with him, help him get over whatever it was he was going through, and have a perfect excuse to lay in bed all day. On the other hand, she’d only been at her new job for a month. She was still the new person at the Foundation, and she didn’t want to make a bad impression. Ugh, the fact that she cared so much about this job was weird.

The guilt was taring at her, and it wasn’t just because of work. She knew how lonely Andy had been feeling lately, mostly due to her long workdays. This was the first time they hadn’t worked in the same building at least part-time, and it was weird for both of them. Still looking for a job, Andy mostly hung around all day with Champion.

“Will you be okay if I go to work?” she ran her fingers through the curls at the base of his neck.

“Sure,” he sighed again, more deeply than before. “I’ll just stay here like this.” He shivered, despite being buried beneath three blankets.

April felt his head again. It was already hotter than minutes before. “I can’t leave you if you’re sick, babe.”

“Yeah you can.” He coughed, a rough, scratchy sound from deep within his chest.

She wasn’t sure what to do. Andy rarely ever got sick, and when he did, he still had more energy than she had on a regular day.

“Andy,” she rubbed his back, grimacing as her hand made contact with the sweat clinging to his skin. “I’m gonna call out and stay with you. You look terrible.”

“No babe,” he sniffed, coughing again. “You can’t call out! What if they fire you or something? We can’t both be jobless—“

“They’re not going to fire me,” she said softly, a small grin on her lips. “I care about you more than this stupid job, anyway.” She slipped off her heels and shrugged out of her skirt, climbing under the blankets with him. It felt like a sauna from his body heat.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, closing his eyes against the pillow.

“Shh,” she wrapped her arms around his torso, running her fingers across his back. “Just get better, okay? I can’t have you feeling lousy. It doesn’t suit you at all.”

He laughed softly, the familiar sound ending in a hacking cough.

 

As the day wore on, April didn’t think twice about her decision. What was a stupid new job compared to the most important person in her life? Plus, it was awesome tending to a sick Andy. All he wanted to do was cuddle her, and she was absolutely fine with that.

“You’re the best, babe,” he whispered, half asleep many hours later. “I love you.” His head was pressed against her neck comfortably, much cooler now than before.

She kissed his forehead. “Love you too,” she replied. “Not that I want you to get sick more often, but it’s kinda nice being able to take care of you like this.”

It was true, April got some sort of weird fulfillment out of making him soup, giving him medicine, and making sure he was feeling better by the end of the day. She was sure she would’ve hated the idea of all this domestic nonsense years ago, but now it just made sense.

Andy gave her a tired smile. “Just you wait, babe. Next time you’re sick, I’m gonna return the favor times a million.”

“Let’s not worry about it,” April said. “For now, _this_ is fine.”

“At least you can go back to work tomorrow.”

April shrugged. “I dunno babe, seems to me you’re still pretty sick.”

“No, I’m not,” Andy looked at her quizzically. “Really honey, I feel so much better.”

“Yeah, but my work doesn’t know that,” April smiled. “Pretty sure I need to take care of my sick husband another day…and all through the weekend too.”

Andy hadn’t looked so happy in a long time. To April, that reaction alone was absolutely worth it.


	24. Telethon (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens after Andy kicks Sewage Joe out of the telethon in season 2? Well, I'd like to imagine a little something like this...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :D  
> Prompt: _"I stopped feeling emotions a long time ago."_

April watched the studio doors close, Andy standing guard in front of them until he was sure that Sewage Joe had gone for good. The icy chill that had been creeping up her spine when that jerk had come looking for her had since faded, and now she could only watch Andy curiously.

He didn’t say much after that, only turned back around while idly swinging his arms by his side. When he caught April staring, he shuffled over awkwardly.

“You okay?” he asked, scratching his facial hair.

“Yeah,” she cracked a small smile. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Andy grinned. “That guy’s a creep.”

“Yeah,” she could only agree, because he was.

There was a long, heavy silence between them. Andy looked around the studio, focusing his eyes on Leslie off in the distance for a bit as she tried to hold it together in the midst of the disastrous telethon.

“Hey,” Andy turned back to her. “You didn’t really want him here, did you?” he asked, looking uncomfortable.

“Who, Sewage Joe?”

“Yeah.”

“Ew, no,” April scoffed. “I didn’t even know it was him I was talking to.”

“Oh,” Andy nodded, bobbing his head slightly. “You just seemed interested in whoever you were talking to on the phone.”

“Well, if I knew he was such a creepy weirdo I would’ve thought twice,” she sighed. “Why do you care, anyway?”

Andy blinked at her, as though he was confused by the question. “Why wouldn’t I care? We’re friends, right?”

An hour ago she would have said no.

“Yeah, sure,” she shrugged. “We’re friends.”

“Awesome,” Andy’s smile was wide now. “Hey, I’m gonna go get some food. You want something?”

“No,” she held up her bag of yogurt-covered pretzels. “I’m good.”

“Okay. I’ll be backstage,” he said, bounding away like a large dog.

April watched him go, the feeling in her stomach more confusing to her than the current thunderstorm of thoughts in her brain. It was insane how she could go from hating him one minute, to friends again the next, to wanting more than that another minute later. It was all too much for her to comprehend at the moment.

“Hey April,” an exhausted voice called out to her, and as she turned she saw Leslie wandering over, sipping a large cup of coffee. “How’re you holding up?”

“Hmm, let’s see,” April said, raising her finger to her chin in mock contemplation. “I’ve been at this stupid telethon all night. I’m exhausted. I had to listen to Jerry play the piano. I have to answer calls from losers all over Pawnee. And I have to sit next to Ann while I’m answering them. So yeah, I’d say I’m feeling pretty wonderful,” she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, me too,” Leslie sighed, totally oblivious to the sarcasm. “I saw you talking to Andy again.”

“So what?” April raised an eyebrow. “Why do you keep asking me about Andy? God, just stop already.”

“I’m asking because I know you guys were good friends, and now something is off between you both. Did you wanna talk about it? I mean, I know how things can get weird with boys. You must be feeling all kinds of things—“

“Leslie, I stopped feeling things a long time ago,” April shook her head and crossed her arms.

“April—“

“Please leave me alone,” she said, turning away from the older woman and walking back to her seat.

She knew Leslie meant well, but the last thing she felt like doing was talking to her about Andy. Still, when he remerged from the back room only to take a seat by the doors, she looked up at him and raised her hand in the smallest of waves. She knew he was sitting there to make sure Sewage Joe didn’t return.

“Who’re you looking at, April?” she heard Donna ask.

“No one,” she replied quickly, averting her eyes.

She just wished this stupid hellish night would end already.


	25. Boudoir (Rated T/M)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For their 10th wedding anniversary, April decides to do something _extra_ special for Andy. She's just not quite sure how she feels about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Are you going to kiss me, or are you just going to stand there?"_
> 
> *One day I just randomly thought of April doing a boudoir photo shoot for Andy as a surprise, and the result was this drabble. I have no idea why.*

What a stupid, ridiculous, idiotic idea it was, now that April thought about it. Seriously, why the hell did she think this was a good plan?

She closed the little photo album and tucked it back in the velvet box it came in, slumping back on the couch with a sigh. If Andy didn’t laugh at her for this, she would consider herself lucky.

Yeah, it was their anniversary and yeah, they always promised each other they wouldn’t do gifts. Yet for some reason, ten years seemed deserving of some sort of gesture. After all, the ten years of being married to Andy had been the ten best years of her life.

 _“He’s gonna love it,”_ Donna had told her. _“Trust me, I did the same thing for Joe last year and he never stops talking about it.”_

That was easy for Donna to say. If April had an ounce of the confidence Donna had in her own body, she’d have no problem with this whole thing.

She heard the front door open and hurried downstairs, smoothing out the old, thin, white summery dress she’d worn all those years ago. Unfortunately, it was a little smaller than it used to be, but at that time she’d also been a decade younger.

Andy shrugged out of his coat and kicked his sneakers off to the side. “Babe, I’m back with our anniversary pizza!” he called, placing it on their kitchen counter as he looked around. “April?”

“Right here,” she said, entering behind him.

Andy spun on the spot, his smile already wide, and his eyes were wider when he realized what she was wearing.

“Honey,” he looked her up and down. “You…wow, you look beautiful. You’re wearing—“

“The dress I married you in,” she finished for him. “I figured I’d reuse it one more time since today is sort of significant.”

“More than significant,” he nodded, reaching out for her hands and pulling her into him. He leaned down to kiss her, but immediately noticed the box she tried to hide under her arm. “What’s that?”

“Just…something stupid,” she shrugged. “for you.”

“April, we said no presents,” Andy tilted his head. “I don’t need anything. I mean, maybe some new socks, but we can get those anytime.”

“I know,” she sighed, suddenly embarrassed. “This is…oh God, this is so stupid. Just open it.”

Andy looked at her curiously, his hands delicately unwrapping the silk bow on the box. When he saw that it was an album, he glanced up at her. “Should I sit down for this?”

“If you want,” she shrugged.

“Honey, what is this?” he chuckled. “Why are you all nervous?”

“Okay, before you open this…just know that I thought this was a good idea in the beginning, and now I regret it.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re making _me_ nervous, babe.”

“Just open it!”

Andy turned the first page of the album, and she watched as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head and his mouth dropped open.

“April,” he muttered. “Holy…shit.”

“Stupid, huh?” she bit her lip.

“No,” Andy looked at her, aghast. “Why would I think this is stupid? I have the hottest, most beautiful wife in the world, and now I have this to…God, this is amazing. You’re gorgeous.”

“I got the idea from Donna,” she shrugged.

“When did you do this?”

“Remember when you were gone that weekend to visit your brother and his kids?”

“Yeah,” he looked at her. “You said you couldn’t come because you had so much work to do.”

“Yeah,” she smirked. _“This_ was that work.”

Andy’s face lit up like a kid who just got his biggest wish granted. “You did this as a surprise for me? All for our anniversary?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I—“ he paused, and for a moment his face fell. “You didn’t have a guy take these, did you?”

“What? Oh God, no!” April grimaced. “It was a woman. She’s a friend of Natalie’s from school who’s a full-time photographer.”

“Oh good,” he sighed, looking immensely relieved. “I don’t think I’d be able to handle knowing another guy saw you looking this…amazing,” he shook his head, flipping though the photos again. “Why the heck were you nervous about giving this to me?”

“Because,” she looked up at him, playing with the collar of his plaid button-up. “It’s stupid and embarrassing.”

“No way,” Andy shook his head vehemently. “You are _so_ beautiful, sweetheart, and this is the best gift ever.”

A few seconds passed where Andy just stared at her that way he always did, like she was the only thing in the entire universe that mattered. It sent a warmth through her core that made some of that prior embarrassment fade away. He was the only one who gave her that confidence.

“So,” she said, after ten more seconds of silence. “Are you going to kiss me, or are you just going to stand there?”

Andy didn’t need telling twice. He placed the album on the countertop and lifted her up into his arms. April locked her legs around his waist and her arms circled his neck, and they both leaned in at once, lips crashing together furiously.

“I have,” he managed to grunt out between kisses. “the hottest wife in the world.”

She dug her fingers into the curls on the back of his head and held on. Carefully, Andy walked her upstairs to their bedroom.

“Babe,” she managed to squeak out a laugh as his lips moved down her neck. “Forgetting about the pizza?”

“Pizza can wait,” he said, dropping her down onto the mattress. “I’m a totally different type of hungry at the moment.”


	26. Waiting (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"You look really beau... nice..."_
> 
> Some early Season 3 Andy and April for you.

On any given day, cheeseburgers, coffee, a taco or two, and maybe some cookies from the City Hall cafeteria would be enough to lift Andy’s spirits when he was feeling down. Food had an awesome way of making him feel better. As did his music, shoe shining, and most importantly, talking to April Ludgate, the coolest chick in the world.

Today though, none of those things were working. Especially not talking to April, which is what made him feel worst of all.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be around her. Really, he wished he could spend every minute with her. Now though, wherever she went, her new boyfriend Eduardo was right behind her. 

Andy would grimace and scowl to himself whenever he saw the guy with his hands all over her. What was Eduardo’s deal, anyway? Couldn’t he be around her without having to put his hand on her arm, or her back? It made Andy feel sick. The worst part of it was that April wanted nothing to do with Andy anymore, and like he’d told Ron, it was making him miserable.

So, the day she finally came back to work after being out for a while with the flu, Andy made sure to bring her several flowers he’d picked from the City Hall garden. He held those in one hand while he balanced two coffees in the other. Hopefully he’d catch an Eduardo-free moment and maybe, just maybe, they could be friendly enough to share coffee together again.

“Morning guys,” Andy announced, strolling into the bull pen casually. 

“Morning Andy,” Jerry called.

“Hello handsome,” Donna winked at him.

Ron ignored him, which was typical, and Leslie and Tom gave him a shout from inside their office. It was only April who rolled her eyes and said nothing, hiding behind her magazine.

“April,” Andy approached her desk, his smile wide. “Welcome back.” He placed the coffee in front of her, and held out the flowers.

“No thanks,” she said, without looking at him.

He plowed on, regardless. “You feeling better? I really missed seeing you every day.”

“Whatever,” she muttered.

“I thought maybe some coffee—“

He was distracted as Eduardo—sure enough—stepped through the courtyard door, carrying one of those super fancy and expensive drinks from the coffee cart, and handed it to April. Andy’s smile immediately faded.

 _“Gracias,”_ April smiled at her boyfriend, sipping the beverage.

A little part of Andy felt like it was crumbling inside. “Y’know,” he said loudly, so the entire office could hear. “It’s funny how Eduardo’s always here, in this office. I mean, he doesn’t even work here.”

“Neither do you,” April bit back, throwing him a glare.

“I—“

She stood up and turned to Eduardo. _“Vamanos,”_ she said, shouldering her bag. Only then did Andy realize she was all dressed up.

“Wow you look…” he blinked a few times. “You look really beau—nice…” he corrected himself, not wanting to anger her more. “Where’re you headed?”

“Away from you,” she pushed past him, her long black hair flipping over her shoulder. Eduardo shook his head at Andy, and followed her without a word.

Andy watched them go, the flowers still clutched in his hand. He sighed, feeling worse than he had all day. “Where d’you think they’re going?” he asked Donna.

“She said something earlier about that gorgeous Venezuelan of hers taking her to an expensive restaurant for lunch to celebrate her feeling better,” Donna told him. “I heard he’s _pretty_ extravagant when it comes to April…”

“Great,” Andy muttered. He could barely afford the two coffees this morning, and this guy could probably give her everything.

He didn’t notice that Ron had quietly emerged from his office, standing a little off to his side. The older man cleared his throat, and spoke softly.

“Give her time,” was all he said, before giving Andy a knowing look and turning to go back to his desk.

To Andy, Ron was the smartest guy in the world. If that’s what he thought he should do, then that’s what he’d do. The waiting part though…well, that just really, really sucked.


	27. You're Not There (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This little drabble takes place in the between time of seasons 4 and 5!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by floralforelsket on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"What'll happen when I wake up, and you're not there?"_

“That’s the last of it,” Andy said, placing a large, cardboard box on the floor of April’s tiny DC apartment. “All we gotta do now is unpack everything.”

April bit her lip, looking around the new space she was going to be living for the next six months. It was basically two rooms and a bathroom, but it was all she needed. She smiled half-heartedly at Andy, who grinned back at her with his typical cheerful expression. Apparently he had no idea she was having second thoughts about all of this.

“Thanks babe,” she nodded, sizing up the job they still had to do before Andy returned to Pawnee with Leslie the following morning. Then it would be back to work for him as Leslie’s assistant, and the start of April’s internship working for the Barkley Group here in DC, with Ben as her boss.

It was sounding less appealing every time she thought about it.

“Not as big as our house, but I guess that’s okay,” Andy stretched, yawning wide from the early flight and even earlier morning.

“Yeah,” she nodded, glancing at all the boxes and bags, and becoming increasingly more overwhelmed. “It’s gonna be so quiet here without you and Champion.”

“I know honey,” Andy put his hands on her shoulders. “We’re gonna come visit all the time, though. Well, maybe not Champion, but I will. And you’ll come visit me some weekends. We’ll make it work, I promise.”

“I’m not worried about that…” she trailed off, lost in thought.

Of course they would make it work. They made everything work, even when it seemed impossible. That didn’t stop the nagging in her chest at the thought of being here alone.

“Are you okay?” Andy eyed her curiously.

“Yeah,” she lied. “C’mon, let’s go get some food. I don't think I have enough energy to unpack all this stupid stuff right now.”

Her husband didn’t take his eyes off her, even as they walked hand in hand to meet Leslie and Ben for lunch.

 

Lunch was a subdued affair, but April wasn’t expecting much else. Leslie and Ben seemed a little out of sorts too, however both of them were brimming with excitement…and it was driving her crazy.

Andy held her hand through most of the meal, his thumb circling her skin soothingly. She didn’t have much of an appetite.

“So let’s see,” Leslie pushed aside her empty dessert dish and pulled out her planner. “When can we come visit you guys?”

“Well,” Ben checked his blackberry, and April had the urge to grab it and toss it into a nearby fountain. “The next couple of weeks are non-stop, so maybe the weekend after next?”

“Oh, that’s no good babe,” Leslie sighed. “I have meetings. Maybe the weekend after that would be better.”

"Wait," April put down the fork she'd been holding idly by her plate. "So you guys aren't coming back for three weeks?"

"Afraid so," Leslie replied. "Just too busy until then."

"Fantastic," April rolled her eyes.

“Honey,” Andy nudged her gently. “You’re not hungry?”

“No,” she pushed her plate forward and leaned into Andy’s side.

“Tomorrow we get to meet the new interns,” Ben announced to the three of them. “I’m hoping we get a good group. April, I’m gonna need you to be like my eyes and ears when it comes to these guys. Let me know who’s goofing off, and who’s actually working—“

“Ben, I don’t care,” April scoffed. “Can we not talk about this right now?”

Andy glanced at her, his eyebrows bent in the usual concern when she was feeling off about something.

Leslie cleared her throat. “April, is everything okay?”

“Ugh, it’s fine!” she stood up, letting go of Andy’s hand. “I just want to go back to my stupid apartment now. I’m not hungry.”

“Okay, well, you don’t have to wait for the check if you don’t want to,” Leslie said kindly. “If you want to head back, it’s fine—“

“Great,” she stood, and started walking toward the exit of the little restaurant. She could hear Andy saying his goodbyes, followed by his heavy footsteps as he ran to catch up with her.

“April,” he called, and she stopped for him. “Hey…”

Sometimes he just knew when words weren’t needed. Draping a heavy arm over her shoulders, they walked the short distance back to her apartment complex in the muggy DC air.

 

“This stupid bed is weird,” April complained, later that night when every normal person should technically be sleeping. Especially her, since she had to start her job first thing in the morning. Well, technically after she and Ben saw Andy and Leslie off at the airport. No one was taking that goodbye away from her.

“Sweetheart, you’re just saying that because it’s new,” Andy said soothingly, stroking the bare skin of her shoulder as she lay next to him.

“It sucks here,” she said suddenly. “Nothing is right. The bed isn’t soft like ours…it doesn’t smell like you—“ she sat up quickly, leaning against the headboard. “Champion isn’t here to sleep at the foot of the bed…Andy, I hate this. What a stupid idea this was…” Her breaths were getting faster. “I want to leave with you and Leslie tomorrow.”

“April,” Andy, recognizing her panic, sat up with her and tugged her toward him. “Shh, hey…listen…you’re fine. Honey, you’ll be fine.”

“What happens when you leave?” she asked, her voice cracking. “What happens when I wake up, and you’re not there?”

“Listen,” he said again. “I know, this is new…and it’s gonna take some getting used to. You are gonna be so, so awesome. Seriously, you’re gonna kick those other interns’ asses.”

His face was so earnest, she couldn’t help but nod.

“It’s not just that,” she said slowly.

“What is it, then?”

“It’s stupid, Andy,” April shook her head. “Just forget it.”

“No, I can’t do that,” Andy said stubbornly. “C’mon babe, talk to me.”

She took a deep, steadying breath, and sighed. Andy waited patiently, watching her with soft, green eyes.

“I’m gonna miss you,” she said in a small voice.

“I know,” Andy whispered. “I’m gonna miss you too.”

“I just don’t want you to get back and realize how awesome it is when I’m not around all the time.”

“What?” Andy looked flabbergasted. He shook his head back and forth like a huge dog. “April, don’t _ever_ worry about that! That’s ridiculous!”

“I know,” she said, putting her head in her hands. “I know it’s stupid. I’ve just been thinking about everything…about this dumb job, and being so far away in this dumb city, and thinking of you alone in our house with just Champion. Thinking about how I’ll have to come to this stupid empty apartment every night…it’s just too much.”

“Listen,” Andy pulled her into his lap, where he could wrap his arms securely around her like he knew she loved. “We’re gonna call each other all the time. We’re gonna talk on Skype every night, I’m gonna come visit, and we can e-mail each other during work all day long. I promise.”

“I don’t even know why I signed up for this,” April groaned. “I hate politics as it is.”

“Because it’s an amazing opportunity for you babe,” Andy reminded her. “I’m so proud of you for doing it.”

Some of that worry was slowly fading, and April’s brain felt less like a giant cloud of static. She reached up and cupped his cheek, rubbing her palm against the scruff of his beard.

“I love you, you know,” she said.

“Love you too,” Andy replied instantly. “And I promise, whenever you feel like you need me and I’m not there, you call me, and I will seriously drop whatever I’m doing.”

“Even if you’re in the middle of one of Leslie’s stupid meetings?”

 _“Especially_ if I’m in one of Leslie’s meetings,” Andy assured her.

April laughed for the first time all day. Andy joined in, and before long they both drifted off to an easy sleep, just as if they were in their bed back at home.

 

She watched their plane take off from the airport window. Just like that, Andy was gone. Back to Pawnee, where he would undoubtably get to do amazing things as Leslie’s assistant, and start his training to become a cop. She had the utmost faith in him _and_ his promises, and she knew he felt the same about her.

Slowly, and only after the plane was nothing more than a speck in the distance, she turned to head to her first day on the job.


	28. Emma (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"You set someone's hair on fire in chemistry last year."_ (I changed it slightly!)

April had never gotten a call like this with any of her children before. It was so insane…so farfetched…at first she didn’t think it was real. She really wasn’t even sure what to do about it. In a way, the teenage April would have been proud. On the other hand, this was serious, and if it was true, it was no joke at all. 

“Em,” April knocked on her youngest daughter’s bedroom door. Through the walls, she could hear the pounding of music. She knocked again, louder this time.

The music came to an abrupt stop, and she heard a soft voice answer, “Yes?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” April called back.

“Sure,” Emma replied, sounding distracted, and April knew she must be drawing again.

She entered, and sure enough her daughter was seated by her bed with her back against the far wall, eyes focused on the sketchbook in her lap and her hand working meticulously with a piece of charcoal.

“What’re you working on, baby?”

“Project for class,” Emma said, glancing up at her mother briefly with a hint of a smile.

“It looks awesome,” April said honestly. Out of her four children, Emma was the only one with any artistic ability. Jack and Allie were athletic. Melody was musically inclined like her father. Emma was none of those things, but she could draw, paint, and sculpt like no one April had ever known.

She watched her work for a minute in silence, her eyes scanning the sixteen-year-old’s face. Emma was a strange mix of both her parents. She had April’s build, but she was a bit taller than her mother and both of her older sisters. She had her father’s face, only with hazel eyes instead of Andy’s green. She had wavy blonde hair that had started off brown when she was a baby. Now, that same hair was streaked in random places with red dye, something April had been firmly against at first but had finally given in on for Emma’s sixteenth birthday.

“Mom, what’s up?” Emma said suddenly, pulling April out of her thoughts. “You’re sorta hovering.”

“I wanted to talk to you,” April said. “About a call I got from your teacher today while I was at work.”

“Okay,” Emma sighed, still focused on her drawing and nothing else.

“Baby, can you look at me, please?”

Emma stopped what she was doing and put down her sketchbook. She stared back at her mother, unblinking and almost indifferent. “Okay…what did he say?”

“He told me you set a girl’s hair on fire in chemistry class today.”

Emma chuckled, before catching her mother’s face and abruptly stopping. “Um…yeah,” she shrugged.

“Emma!” April was flabbergasted. “This isn't funny! You seriously could’ve hurt her!” Again, she thought back to her sixteen year old self. Would she have done something like this? No…not even April would have thought something like this was funny. She was more the put-dead-bugs-in-a-locker type of girl.

“Mom, it was an accident!” Emma rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean it. I wasn’t paying attention and things just...happened really quickly.”

“Seriously?” April raised her eyebrow. “You’re telling me the truth?”

“Yeah,” Emma laughed again. “It was kinda funny. That girl’s always such a bitch—“

“Emma Jane—“

“Sorry.”

April rubbed the center of her forehead, something she always used to remember her own mother doing in situations like these. She pulled her hand away at once.

“That’s not all he said,” she went on. “He said you’ve cut about half a dozen classes this month, and he’s seen you smoking behind the gym.”

“That's because chemistry sucks," Emma groaned. "It's hard for me to understand, and I hate it. And the smoking thing? That was once,” she shook her head. “I just wanted to try it with my friends. It was awful.”

“Yeah, it’s awful and it gives you cancer,” April said sternly. “Don’t do it again.”

“I won’t…God, mom, don’t freak out.”

“Honey, what’s going on?” April sat down beside her daughter. “Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”

Emma averted her gaze, staring off across her room. “I’m not acting like anything.”

“You’re not acting like yourself, that’s for damn sure.”

Emma didn’t say anything, but kept her gaze fixed away from her mother. Occasionally, she glanced down at the floor.

“Is this about dad?” April said suddenly, comprehension dawning as her brain put the pieces together. “It is, isn’t it?”

“I want to get back to my project,” Emma said quickly, opening up her sketchbook again.

“Baby,” April said softly. “He’s going to be okay. I know it sucks…I know it’s scary, but he’s coming home tomorrow.”

“Even if he is coming home tomorrow,” Emma said, her voice thin. “His heart’s not getting any better, is it?”

Many years ago, long before Emma, Melody or Allie were born, and April was pregnant with Jack, she and Andy were lying in bed one night talking about the future. She remembered it clear as anything, because it was the night after she found out she was pregnant. Andy had surrounded her with pillows because he thought the baby would be more comfortable that way, and he hadn’t stopped smiling since they’d seen the positive symbol on the little stick test.

April had made him promise that they’d always be honest with their children, and never lie to them about important things. Most of it had stemmed from the fact that her own parents had tried to gloss over so many things in her youth. Her anxiety, her depression, her obvious struggles with making friends and feeling like she fit in anywhere. April swore she would never be like that with her own children, and Andy had wholeheartedly agreed.

Now, she wished she could lie and make it all better.

“No, his heart’s not getting any better,” April said softly, stroking a wayward blonde curl out of her daughter’s eyes. “But he’s still coming home, and we’re going to take care of him the best we can to make sure he doesn’t have to go back to the hospital.”

Emma nodded, and April could see her eyes getting glossy and red. “I’m afraid something’s gonna happen to him,” she whispered. “I…I don’t want it to happen again.”

“I know,” April nodded, wrapping her daughter in a hug. “We’re not gonna let it happen.”

Emma had been the only one home with her dad when it had happened. With the older kids either moved out or away at college, it was just the three of them now. April knew Emma would never get over that fear. The poor kid had been a complete mess.

"I'm sorry I've been cutting class and stuff," she said, looking her mother right in the eyes this time. “I won't do it anymore."

"You've still gotta go to detention to make up for it," April told her. "I'm not gonna have my kid retake junior year because of this."

"Ugh, fine..."

April stood up slowly. She definitely wasn't as fast as she used to be and it drove her crazy. "Listen Em," she said. "If there's ever another time when you feel like this...like the world is just crashing down around you and you just...you need someone. Just come to me…or your dad. Okay?”

Emma nodded slowly. "Kay, mom."

"Seriously, it's not worth setting a girl's hair on fire."

"It was an accident!"

April smiled as she closed the bedroom door behind her.

 

They made sure Andy rested when he got home. April had gotten all the fluffy blankets they owned, the softest pillows, and ordered a bunch of their favorite movies on the TV.

Emma snuggled up against her dad on the couch, leaning against his side the way she did when she was just a little kid. Andy was exhausted, but his smile was genuine as ever and he looked so happy to be home.

“Need anything, Daddy?” she asked.

“Nah,” Andy shook his head. “Got everything right here.”

April watched them from the kitchen, waiting for the popcorn to finish in the microwave. She smiled, watching Andy wrap an arm around their daughter’s shoulder as she talked to him about all the things he missed during his week at the hospital. He listened intently, nodding and smiling all the while.

At last, they were together again.


	29. Ecstasy (Rated E)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a kiss prompt series  
> Prompt: _"Hipbone kiss or inner thigh kiss"_

There’s no better sight than this, at least not to Andy. Not when April is sprawled out in front of him, her dark, brown eyes boring into his. Hungry, full of passion and longing and want.

Carefully he leans over her, so as not to crush her beneath his weight, and she undoes the buttons of his flannel shirt one by one, kissing him all the while. His hands go to her hair, grabbing fistfuls of the black, shiny locks he loves to feel between his fingers.

April lets out a tiny moan, her hands working to push the rest of the fabric off his shoulders.

Painstakingly, because he can never get enough, Andy moves his mouth away from hers. She grunts in frustration, but that sound immediately turns to a groan of pleasure as his mouth works its way down her neck, his teeth biting down here and there on her smooth flesh.

Now it’s her turn to run her hands through his hair, as she arches her back further into the mattress.

“I love you,” she manages to get out through clenched teeth, as his own scrape wonderfully against her neck and continue moving down.

“Love you too,” he replies, one hand cupping a bare breast and the other removing the remainder of her underwear in one long pull. Even for that fraction of a second, taking his mouth away from her feels wrong.

So he trails kisses further and further down. The curve of her breasts, her stomach, below her belly button…and further still. He takes his time at her legs, as April releases his hair and grips the sheets around her, twisting her body involuntarily beneath him.

Andy holds her hips in firm hands, bringing his mouth to bite down on the hard bone of her hip. April groans in frustration, as he’s so close to where she needs him to be, but at the same time, he can’t pass up this opportunity to love every bit of her.

He spreads her legs further apart and plants light kisses on the soft, ample flesh of her inner thigh, and April can’t take much more.

“Andy,” she sighs, as her chest heaves, and finally he gives in.

Andy buries his face between her legs, and holds her hands as she goes over the edge and descends into ecstasy.


	30. Truth (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some very, very early relationship A/A for you! Takes place right after they start dating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"They left me for a reason, you know..."_

“Truth or dare?”

“Hmm?”

Andy turned his head to the side, trying his best to glance down at April. She was squished against his chest, resting most of her weight on his massive arm, the two of them cozy and warm beneath the shelter of a makeshift fort. Burly always did buy the best sheets.

“I said, truth or dare,” April smiled, shifting so she could lie across him, her black hair falling in a curtain around their faces as she leaned down to kiss him on the lips.

Andy laughed, holding onto her waist. “Really? I haven’t played this game since…I dunno.”

“Yeah, really,” she said, kissing him again. “C’mon, Andy…it’s nice and warm in here and freezing out there, and there isn’t anything to do.”

“We can always make out some more,” Andy grinned, before April smacked him playfully on the arm.

“We already did that,” she reminded him.

“Okay, okay,” Andy grunted as he tried to sit up, lifting April with him. Still seated in his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You go first.”

“I asked, so you go first.”

“Fair enough,” Andy nodded. “Truth.”

April didn’t waste any time. “How many serious girlfriends did you have before me?” she asked.

Andy suddenly felt like he had a knot in his stomach. He didn’t want April to be mad at him, but at the same time, this was truth or dare, so…

“Six,” he said honestly.

“So I’m number seven?”

“Uh-huh,” he nodded.

“Okay,” April looked a little disappointed, but moved on nonetheless. “Your turn.”

“Truth or dare,” Andy kissed her again, and her lips were warmer than ever.

“Truth.”

“What was it that you liked about me when we first hung out?”

April met his curious stare. Honestly, Andy always wanted to know the answer to this question. For him, the answer was easy. He loved everything about April, of course, but the thing that caught his attention was her smile.

That day in the office, while everyone was off on the hunting trip, he was busy hanging out with April, and it was the most fun he’d had in months. All of a sudden, all his thoughts about Ann had faded away. He felt happy. Then, when he made her smile…to Andy, he had never seen a smile so beautiful in all his life. For once, someone was actually really excited to be spending time with him. April was the coolest, and the fact that she liked him too, understood his jokes, and enjoyed the same weird stuff as him…it was awesome.

In the present, April swayed slowly in his lap, thinking. Then she smiled.

“You were the only person who just…you weren’t lame,” she offered. “You make me laugh, and you just…you’re not boring or anything.” Andy can see her blushing furiously before she averted her gaze. “Stop staring,” she scolded him, still smiling all the while.

“Sorry babe,” he grinned.

“Your turn now,” April said. “Truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“Okay,” April bit her lip, thinking. “I dare you to go into Burly’s room right now and steal that fancy bottle of wine he was saving for when his girlfriend visits.”

“Yes!” he pumped his fist in the air. April always had the best ideas. Andy slid himself from beneath her, crawling on hands and knees out of the tent. “I’ll be right back!”

It only took him a minute. Burly never locked his room—although he always threatened that he would—so Andy was able to find and grab the wine easily.

“Good job, babe,” April nodded approvingly. “We’ll totally drink that later.”

“Sweet,” Andy sat back down, out of breath. “Okay, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” she said immediately.

“Who’s your best friend…aside from me, of course?” he added quickly. He watched as April’s face fell, and suddenly she looked uncomfortable. “Hey…babe, you okay?”

“I don’t really want to play anymore,” she turned away from him. “You win.”

“Huh?”

“It’s a stupid game.”

“April, what’s up? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, you didn’t…” she sighed.

“Then what’s up?”

It takes her a while before she says anything. For a second, Andy thought she might be mad at him. He was about to apologize when she finally spoke up.

“I don’t have any friends, really,” she told him.

Andy couldn’t imagine anyone not having at least a friend or two. That just didn’t make sense to him. “What? Of course you do. Me, Leslie, Tom, Donna—“

“No, I mean like friends growing up. There’s Orin, but he doesn’t say much.”

“April,” Andy took her hand. “that’s totally okay.”

“They left me for a reason, you know,” she went on. “The few friends I had. They thought I was weird, or something. I guess when we started to grow older, they didn’t like the same things as me. So they stopped inviting me to stuff, and before I knew it, I wasn’t hanging out with them at all.”

Andy pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her back. April reclined against his chest, her head tucked into his neck.

“Who needs them,” Andy whispered soothingly. “They missed out on the coolest chick in the world.”

April didn’t respond, but merely hugged him tighter.

Seriously, Andy thought to himself, as he kissed the top of her head. Whoever was dumb enough to throw away a friendship with April Ludgate couldn’t be very smart to begin with. She was the best, and they had each other. That was enough for him.

He hoped it was enough for her too.


	31. Dreams and Nightmares (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a prompt list  
> Prompt: _"I had a nightmare about you and I wanted to make sure you were okay."_

Andy usually had pretty pleasant dreams. Sometimes amazing ones, even. They typically involved his beautiful wife, and occasionally their dog. In fact, those dreams were one of the main reasons why he enjoyed sleeping so much. That, and the fact that he got to curl up against April every night, keeping her warm and safe and happy.

So, he definitely wasn’t prepared for the nightmare he had about a month into his London job. In London, he was alone. There was no April to cuddle at night and no Champion to sleep at the foot of their bed. The nightmare felt all too real to him, and he woke up feeling sweaty and sick.

In the dream, April was hurt. She was yelling for him, screaming even, and he couldn’t get to her. He could see her in the distance, and her voice seemed so close that he could hear every word. When he tried to run to her, no matter how fast his legs moved he couldn’t reach her.

Breathing heavily, Andy pulled the blankets off himself in a hurry, his long legs tangling in them as he struggled to get free. He felt around the spot next to him. It was empty, like he knew it would be. Yet part of him still imagined—hoped—that for a split second, April would be there beside him, sleeping peacefully in one of his huge shirts like she so often did.

No, she wasn’t here. She was safe back in Pawnee. Or was she? His dream had been entirely too real for him to be completely sure. So, he did what he felt he had to do and grabbed his cell phone.

Andy wasn’t very good at remembering much, but he’d finally managed to learn the time difference between the two of them. It was six in the morning in London, which meant April would still be fast asleep. It rang several times before he heard her pick up. Her voice was groggy, masked by a yawn. 

“Andy?” she whispered.

“Oh, honey, thank God,” he breathed a sigh of relief. 

“Babe—is everything okay? It’s one in the morning…you know that right?”

“Are you home?” he asked. “You okay? Are you hurt?”

“Of course I’m home,” she said. He could hear her shifting around on the bed. “Andy, what happened? You're making me nervous—“

“I had a nightmare,” he said softly, finally letting his body relax against the pillows. “About, um…about you, and I needed to make sure you were all right.”

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “I’m here in this stupid, huge, empty bed, and I’m freezing because you’re not here…and I miss you so freaking much,” she added, and Andy could hear the sadness in her voice and he hated it so much. Hated that he couldn’t be there with her, hated that he was across the stupid ocean, hated that he had to leave her alone. “I promise, I’m okay.”

“I miss you,” he said, his voice shaking just enough that she probably noticed. “…so much April, and I just wanna come home.”

“Hey,” she said. “You are gonna do amazing things, okay? You’re making so many people happy with all this non-profit stuff. You’re awesome, Andy. You’ve come so far, and there’s only two—“ and he could hear her voice crack “—more months until you’re home again. We can do this. _You_ can do this.”

Andy stared up the ceiling of his fancy hotel room—courtesy of his new boss Eddie—and sighed. The sunlight was just beginning to break through the windows.

“I know,” he replied.

There was a short pause, where neither of them said anything at all. Andy grabbed up a bunch of the discarded blankets with his free hand and covered himself. 

“Do you wanna tell me what the nightmare was about?” she asked softly.

He took a deep breath. “You needed me, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t reach you.” _It had all felt so real…_

April sniffed lightly on the other end. “I’m okay,” she said again. “I love you.”

“Yeah,” he said. “Love you too…so much.”

“Talk to you tonight like usual?” she asked. Andy could tell she was eager to get back to bed, and staying up for his sake wasn’t fair to her. His day was jut beginning, and she needed to recover from hers.

“Of course, babe. Sorry I woke you up, I just—“

“No, don’t worry,” she said quickly. “It’s okay.”

“Love you,” he said again. “Miss you.”

He missed her so much, it really, _really_ started to hurt. The only good thing about the rest of his stay in London was that he never had the nightmare again, and for that he was grateful.


	32. Never Before (Rated M)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm a huge fan of the theory that Andy and April's first time was the night of the Harvest Festival, after Andy tells April he loves her. This drabble takes place *right* after that first time. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a prompt list  
> Prompt: _"I have never felt this way about anyone."_

It takes April a few moments before she realizes she’s still gripping Andy’s arms tightly. The bright colors and spots that had been dancing behind her eyelids were fading, and that amazing feeling of euphoria had left her numb. Her body slightly trembling, she breathes in and out in steady, measured breaths, and looks up to meet his eyes.

They’re staring into hers with that same combination of wonder, desire, and pure affection that she feels all over. 

“Wow, April,” he breathes, and there’s sweat clinging to his skin, across his forehead, neck and chest. “That was…amazing.”

“Yeah,” she manages between breaths.

He’s still on top of her, his body providing the perfect amount of pressure. He doesn’t smother her—in fact, she feels anything but. She feels full, lightheaded, and exhausted all at once. She lifts her head just enough to kiss him again, and he responds in kind.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity in which Andy spends every second running his hands up and down her sides, they break apart, and he carefully rolls off her and immediately pulls her close. Her bed, which is entirely too small for someone his size, creaks beneath them. April tucks her head in the crook of his neck, and quite honestly it feels like she could sleep for a hundred years.

He was everything she’d hoped he would be and more. No guy had ever been so careful with her, so gentle, leaving her as satisfied as she felt at that moment. Andy made everything about _her,_ which is something she’d never known before. Not that she’d been with many guys, but…it had certainly been a while.

She looks up at him, and he’s still smiling, his eyes lost in some kind of bliss that was evident on every inch of his face. It was hard to believe that mere hours ago they’d been sitting suck atop that ferris wheel, Andy’s arm around her after finally speaking those three words she’d been so annoyed at him for.

“Andy?” she asks, and he immediately shifts so he’s facing her.

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re here right now…y’know, with me.”

His grin widens, and before long he’s running his lips down her neck, casually leaving warm, wet kisses along her sweaty skin. His patchy beard only adds to the sensation, and April squirms against him in breathy laughter.

“I’ve never—“ he kisses her collarbone, and smiles against her when she twitches in response. “—felt like this about anyone, April,” he says, like it was the most wonderful thing in the world. “I love you so much.”

His words send a rush of heat to her center, and she grips his hair, running her fingers though the curls. Maybe she got jealous easily...whatever, she was human. But there was something about knowing that all the girls who came before her, all the drama with Ann and stuff she didn't like thinking about, all of it didn't matter because she was with Andy now, and he felt this way about her. Andy must have sensed her reaction, because she can feel _him_ clearly against her leg.

She smiles to herself, shifting her legs excitedly. Honestly, it was hard _not_ to notice. 

“I love you too,” she mumbles, her voice shrinking away to a tiny moan as his mouth trails to her chest.

 _Love you…_ The words dance around in her head for hours, as they enjoy each other long into the night.


	33. Nothing and Everything Matters (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revisiting that little block of time where Andy was sad about the police academy thing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"I can't...I can't lose you."_

The hot shower that was supposed to help relax Andy had long since turned cold. He stood there, staring down at the water as it bounced off his body and circled the drain, before disappearing forever into who knew where. Usually Andy wondered stuff like that, and he’d often ask someone like Ben those types of questions. Now he didn’t care at all. Water was stupid. Everything was stupid.

“Andy?” he heard April’s muffled voice through the door, and her light knock. “Honey, you almost done?”

Her voice was doing that thing again that he didn’t like so much. She was talking to him like he was a little kid, unnaturally sweet. Of course, his wife was amazing and April always talked to him in a way she never did with anyone else, but lately it was different. He knew she was afraid he’d be depressed like this forever.

Maybe he would be. Who knew anymore, really? Nothing made sense to him.

You try and try and try for something, and in Andy’s case, it never works out. He worked so hard to become a police officer, and he still failed. He’d never be good at anything, ever. It was only a matter of time before April realized that and left him.

“Andy?” she called him again. “I’m coming in.”

“Don’t,” he mumbled, his voice echoing off the bathroom walls. “I’m—I’m naked,” he said stupidly, unsure what else to say. _Well, duh, of course he was._

“Since when do you care that I see you naked?” she asked incredulously, opening the door anyway. “And since _when_ do you take a shower without me?”

It was true. They never showered alone unless one of them had to be somewhere.

“April, I just need a minute,” he replied, sighing deep.

“Okay,” she said, and Andy could see her through the warped glass of the shower stall. She leaned against the wall and waited.

He knew he couldn’t keep hiding in here forever. With a grunt, he turned the shower off and opened the door, reaching for a towel. April watched him with soft, sympathetic eyes.

“Hey babe,” she said, giving him a smile. “Everything okay?”

“Sure,” he shrugged, drying himself off. How was it possible to take a shower and still feel so sweaty?

“Andy—“

He walked past her to their room, digging through the pile on the floor that they still hadn’t folded and put away. He settled for his usual tee and sweats. Not like he had a job to dress for at the moment…

He fell onto the couch in a lazy thud and reached for the remote, clicking through the channels without really watching anything.

“We need to talk,” April said slowly, coming up behind the couch to stare down at him.

“Bout what?” he asked without looking at her. Then the panic set it, and he sat up straight. “Oh no…oh my God, it’s happening isn’t it?”

“What?”

“April please…don’t…I promise I’ll get a new job, I swear,” he kneeled on the cushions and reached for her hands, pulling her closer.

“Andy—“

“Please…I just…I can’t lose you too. I know I’m going through something and it seems like I’m all depressed…and I am, but still, I promise I’ll find something—“

“Woah…hang on a second, babe,” she came around the couch and sat next to him, her hand on his arm. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere!”

That did little to settle his nerves. He expected her to say that.

“Not now,” he said sadly. “But give it another few days and you’ll realize how pathetic I am and you’ll want a real husband who can take care of you and provide for you and—“

“Andy!” This time, April actually used her hand to cover his mouth. He sighed, and leaned back. “Stop. Where is this nonsense coming from? Because you didn’t pass the stupid police exam?”

He nodded.

“I don’t care about that!” she said. “Andy, I’d never, _ever_ leave you because of something stupid like that,” she removed her hand and waited, watching him.

“But I’m a failure,” he muttered.

“No, you’re _not,”_ she said sternly. “You’re a lot of different things, all of them awesome. But you are not a failure, okay?” she hugged him. “Do you realize how much it hurts me to hear you talk about yourself like that?”

He didn’t really think of it that way. He always hated hearing April say horrible things about herself, so why wouldn’t she feel the same?

“I’m sorry,” he said truthfully. “I just want to be a good husband for you. I want you to have everything you want.”

“You are, and I do,” she kissed him. “You’re the best husband ever.”

“Who somehow ended up with the world’s greatest wife,” he smiled, and she returned it.

“Come on,” she stood and tugged at his hand.

“Where’re we going?”

“Sex,” she said simply.

Andy couldn’t argue with that. After all, it always made them both feel better. For now, as he slowly stood and followed her to their room, he was just grateful for everything he had. He knew deep down that as long as he had April, things would work out in the end.


	34. Won't Ever Leave (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr as part of a kiss prompt list! :D  
> Prompt: _"Hesitant Kiss"_

_I love you, don’t ever leave._

“Never leaving,” his voice is scratchy, dehydrated, exhausted. His hands search for something to hold onto, settling on the gentle slope where her waist runs into her hip. Hands that are so much bigger than hers, hands she feels safe beneath, hands that would never do anything more than love her, protect her, comfort her.

April breathes slowly, the air filling her lungs in steady measures. It feels good to have Andy pressed up beside her like this. She’s safe, and she’s loved.

“Andy…” she turns in his arms, and she’s facing him, staring up into those green eyes she’s come to adore more than life itself. They dart to her nose, her mouth, her lips, and he smiles.

He looks like he’s at a loss for words. That’s fine, so is she. She can feel his breath on her cheeks, can feel the scruff of his beard rub against her nose, until his lips meet hers again in mutual adoration.

_I love you, I won’t ever leave._


	35. In the Moment (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as part of a kiss prompt list  
> Prompt: _"In the moment kiss"_

She slams the door of that stupid apartment with so much force, the pictures on the wall rattle. She hates everything about DC right now. From the weather, to her internship, to the tiny little space she has to live in for months. She wants to rage, to scream, to find solace in the arms of her husband.

Then she remembers that he probably wants nothing to do with her at the moment. Instead, she flops down onto her bed and cries herself to sleep.

_“Don’t you even fucking care how I’m doing here? I hate it! I'm miserable right now! But you don’t know that, do you? Because you didn’t bother to find out!”_

The argument plays over and over in her head. It isn’t really his fault, more so just a culmination of her frustrations coming to a head when he didn’t pick up his phone all night. He’d gone out with his band and the battery had died. Of course Andy didn’t notice, but his harmless mistake is just the final straw in an already horrible week.

Arguments aren’t their thing. They always work through everything. But him being in Pawnee while she’s stuck in this hellish nightmare of a city isn’t exactly making things easier.

Her pillow is soaked with fresh tears when she hears the pounding on the door in the morning. She grumbles, and drags herself out of bed. If it’s Ben again, she’s seriously going to punch him in the face.

Instead, it’s Andy. 

He doesn’t give her a moment to say how shocked she is to see him there, or even ask why. He pulls her into his arms and kisses her, soft and hard, furious and gentle. His hands tangle in her hair, and whispers of _“I’m sorry”_ fill her ears, and for a moment she just lets go and melts into his arms.

It’s in those same arms that she nestles into later, after he kisses her tears away. After more whispered _“I love you’s”_ and _“I’m so sorry’s”_ and sweet things meant just for her. It’s in this moment when she thinks to herself how amazing it feels to hold him again, to love him, and be loved by him after weeks apart. How little arguments are stupid and mean nothing in the grand scheme of their love. How no matter what, he’ll always be there for her when she needs him.

It’s in this brief moment that April remembers nothing matters but the two of them.


	36. Cuddles I (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by puzzlingsnark on tumblr! :D  
> Prompt: _"Post-coital cuddles"_

April will forever be amazed at how well their bodies just _fit._

It’s always an incredible feeling when they made love. Never did she ever feel as though she was being crushed beneath him, her body so tiny compared to his size and strength. Especially now, with her rounded stomach just starting to show, Andy is always careful. He’s nothing less then gentle, unless she asks for it because she knows it’s safe.

Yes, she absolutely loves straddling him and enjoying everything about being on top. Then there are those days where she needs to feel him above her, in control.

So when he pulls out, heavy, exhausted and spent, and curls up against her, she feels exhausted, full of him, and incredibly perfect.

“Babe,” he caresses her cheek, his voice raspy and tired. “Was that good?” His thumb brushes just beneath her eye, because she absolutely loves the feeling of it and Andy knows her body better than anyone.

“Uh-huh,” she replies, her smile evident even in the dark, because how could she be anything less than ecstatic? She’s lucky, and she knows it. “Perfect.”

Andy just grins and pulls her closer. Their house gets especially cold now that the cooler weather is coming, which make for amazing nights trying to keep warm beneath the covers. Sex is often part of that equation, which only makes things better.

“God, I love you so much,” he whispers, his nose rubbing against the side of her head as he tries to catch his breath. His hand wanders, stopping briefly at her breast where he fondles her only for a second, because he knows she's tired and needs to sleep. He can’t help it, though, April knows, and she’s more than fine with it. From there, it stops to rest on the little swell of her belly. 

“I love you too,” she answers him, because it’s never been more true. She’s been so exhausted lately, the end of each day a welcome respite from both the stresses of work and her pregnancy. Andy’s always there, waiting to help ease her into sleep. She turns a little so her body can face him better, and tucks her head into his chest. “Our baby will be amazing.”

At some point, she intertwines their fingers, and his hands are big and warm. She never feels anything but safe in his arms.

“How are you so perfect?” he asks, as he kisses her forehead and wraps them both in the comforter.

“Stop,” she laughs. “You know I’m not.”

“You are, April. To me, you’ll always be perfect.”

She doesn’t say anything in response. Words are never enough to let him know that she feels the exact same way about him. She loves him unconditionally, and nothing will ever change that. So instead she takes his cheek in her hand and gently tugs him forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, before she nestles into him tighter and closer, and begins to drift to sleep.


	37. Cuddles II (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day before April has to leave London, and Andy, behind...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was requested several times anonymously and by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"Cuddles while someone's crying"_

Andy expected a lot of things to happen the night before April had to fly back to Pawnee. Their London adventure was coming to an end, but there was still so much to do. _His_ adventure was just beginning.

He expected April to help him get organized for his new job, because God knows he couldn’t figure that stuff out on his own. They made a list of everything he’d need, down to the new suits and ties they’d inevitably have to buy because he’d lost so much weight that none of his old clothes fit him anymore.

He expected them to go out to eat at a fancy restaurant, probably using Ben’s credit card that April stole from his wallet. The always talked about breaking away from the group to have some alone time, but between the Sweetums stuff with Ben and April’s involvement with Leslie, they never got the chance.

He expected them to have lots of sex, because it would be the last time for a while that they saw each other and to go from _every day_ to maybe once a month…there was no other word for that but shitty.

He wasn’t expecting this, though.

“Babe?” he called for her once he’d arrived back at their hotel room. “I got all that stuff Eddie told me I’d need for work. I dunno, I think money is different here,” he placed the shopping bags on the bed. “I have no idea what a ‘pound’ is in British language.”

It was quiet, and April was no where in sight. The hotel room wasn’t big, so there were only so many places she could be hiding. “Sweetheart, as much as I’d love to play hide and seek,” he said, tossing his jacket on a chair. “I have to go meet Ben in a few minutes to go over that paperwork.”

When he heard a soft sob from the bathroom, he ran over at once. There, sitting on the floor with her arms wrapped around her knees was April, head down and slightly shaking.

“Hey,” he crouched down immediately, placing a hand on her shoulder. “April, what’s wrong? You okay? Are you hurt?” he asked nervously.

She shook her head and didn’t look up at him.

“Baby,” he said softly. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

She looked up at him, and her eyes were red and wet with tears. “It’s n-nothing.”

“April,” he said, sitting down beside her and wrapping her in his arms. She molded to him instantly, her small, cold hands digging into the fabric of his shirt around his waist. “C’mon, please talk to me.”

“I can’t believe I’m having a breakdown over this,” she sniffed.

“Over what, babe?”

“Over you staying here and me getting on that stupid plane and leaving tomorrow,” she whispered.

“Oh,” he said softly.

“If I’d have known we’d be coming here together and you’d just be staying…” she shook her head. “Forget it, this is so selfish of me,” she sobbed, choking on her words.

“It’s not,” Andy rested his chin on top of her head and hugged her tighter. “I’m not gonna do it, then.”

“Andy,” she groaned. “You have to.”

“No, I don’t,” he shook his head. “This is just a stupid job. It’s not as important to me as you are. Nothing is.”

He’d drop everything for her. All she needed to do was give him the word. Yeah, Ben might be angry with him, and his new boss Eddie might be disappointed, but none of that mattered to him in the long run. Just April, and it was always going to be that way.

“You’re not skipping out on this opportunity because of me,” she said finally.

“I can’t leave you like this,” he said seriously.

“I’ll be fine,” she said. Andy watched as a single tear rolled down her cheek and disappeared into the rest of the wetness gathering at her chin. After a few minutes in silence, she slid into his lap and clung to him without a word. Andy kissed her head, her hair smelling sweetly of flowers from that shampoo she always used. God, he was going to miss that smell.

“Y’know, I don’t think I need to meet Ben just yet,” Andy said softly into her hair. “I want to order room service or something, and watch some stupid movie on the hotel TV.”

April rolled her lips and smiled for the first time that day. Andy returned it, even though on the inside he felt just as sad as she looked.

“Okay,” she whispered.

“I want to lie in bed with my wife,” he went on, kissing her cheek where her tears were still drying. “I want to have awesome sex in these fancy silk sheets,” he moved his lips to her ear, kissing the soft, ticklish spots she always squirmed over. “…and I want to cuddle naked with her until she falls asleep in my arms,” he finished, kissing her briefly before he pulled away to meet her eyes.

April’s look was that of love, and Andy was glad he could take that sadness away, even if it was temporary. He knew that she’d likely break down again as soon as she boarded that plane, and it killed him inside that there wouldn’t be anything he could do about that.

Until that moment came, he would do anything and everything in his power to make her happy.


	38. Cuddles III (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Cuddles for comfort"_

It felt too long since April had her husband all to herself for the weekend.

No one could deny Johnny Karate was a huge success, and the money rolling in from his gigs was certainly helping their bank account. Sometimes though, Andy needed a break. So, when he finished up a one-party afternoon and had an open schedule for the next two days, April wasn’t going to miss out on anymore time with him.

“Oh babe,” he yawned, setting his guitar down and closing the front door behind him. “I’m s-s-so sleepy,” he trudged up to April as she met him in a run and jump on her way out of the bedroom. His hands held her steady, but he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment. 

She didn’t say a word, only dug her nails into the back of his curls and nestled her head against his neck.

Strengthening his hold on her, Andy smiled and walked them to the bedroom. Once there, only then did April let go and waited as Andy kicked off his sneakers and slid out of his jeans.

“I think I’m just gonna sleep for like, ten hours. That cool with you, honey?” he asked, yawning again and sliding under the covers, where she was already waiting for him.

“Mhm,” she nodded, curling up against him like it was second nature. “Sounds perfect.”

Andy pulled her in closer, feeling the aches in his muscles fading away, the pounding in his head subside slowly, and the sleep overtaking his brain.

“I hate being away from you on the weekend,” he mumbled, already lost in sleep.

“I know,” she whispered, stroking his cheek. Her husband worked his ass off, and April knew it. If she could have anything for him, it would be peace of mind that he was doing amazing things. He needed to know that, and she would always show him. “Just rest with me, okay?”

“‘Kay,” he nodded, draping his arm over her side, his light breathing soon giving way to heavier breaths.

They had all weekend to be together. Now, she wanted him to get the rest he deserved.


	39. Cuddles IV (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Cuddles while someone's sick"_

“Andy…”

Her voice was dry and raspy like chipped wood. Barely any words came out of her all day, but when she did speak, Andy would physically wince at the pain it probably caused her.

“Yeah babe?” he called from the kitchen, peeking out into the living room.

April was buried under four blankets on the living room couch, keeping an exhausted, wary eye on her two children as they played quietly on the living room rug.

“Jack spilled his juice,” she groaned, coughing hard against the blanket, her entire body shaking with each hallow sound.

“Sorry mama,” the little boy said, his voice a tiny squeak.

“It’s’—“ more coughing “—okay baby,” she tried to reassure him. “It’s fine, it was an accident.”

Andy hurried over with a towel, pulling his son into a little hug and sending him off with a kiss to the head. “No problem, buddy. See? All gone.”

“Thanks,” April sighed, leaning back against the arm of the couch.

“I think we need to see a doctor,” Andy said, joining her on the opposite end while their youngest crawled to her father’s feet and lifted her arms to be picked up.

“No,” April shook her head. “I hate doctors. I’m fine, I just need more medicine.”

“Honey,” Andy scooped up Allie and kissed her pink cheek. “Nothing is really working out for you. We’ve tried three different types of medicine.”

“No doctor,” April said. “I don't want to scare the kids.”

Andy sighed, and stood to put their children to bed. “C’mon Jack,” he called for his son. “Be right back, babe.”

 

When Andy returned twenty minutes later, after teeth had been brushed, books had been read and songs had been sung, he found April fast asleep in her cocoon of blankets. He smiled to himself, and carefully, so as not to wake her, reached beneath her back and legs and lifted her effortlessly, ready to carry her to bed.

“Mm,” April hummed, half asleep, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Sleep babe,” he said. “Everything is under control.”

With a quick brush of her lips against his cheek, she dozed off again. Then, Andy was struck with a better idea. He sat back down in the same spot April had been, and adjusted her so she was leaning against him, cradled in his lap. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and sighed.

“Hope this is okay,” he whispered, knowing she couldn’t hear him but still asking all the same. Moving his hand away for a moment, he gathered the heaviest, warmest blanket he could find and spread it over them. “Love you, honey,” he kissed her head and leaned over to turn off the lamp. “Feel better.”


	40. Drunk (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr :D  
> Prompt: _"Drunk"_

“Oh my God, babe,” April giggles like a teenager, a glass of amber liquid in one hand and the other slipping further and further up her husband’s shirt. “You’re so sweaty right now.” She’s perched in his lap, legs tight against either side of him on the couch.

Andy smiles lazily, his hands rubbing uneven circles on her back while he stares at her with droopy eyes. “It’s this stuff, honey,” he chuckles, hiccuping slightly at the end. “It’s like…suuuuper strong.”

“Yeah,” she nods, swaying slightly and nearly falling over, until Andy manages to catch her. “What did Ron put in it?”

“I don’t think he put anything in it,” Andy shrugs. “He just gave it to me and…and he kinda chuckled and told us to enjoy it next time the kids were out—“

“Which they are,” she interrupts, leaning forward to kiss him sloppily. “They’re with Leslie and her husband, what’s his name—“

“Nerd,” Andy laughs loudly. “Ben’s name is ‘nerd…’”

“Mhm,” April joins his laughter before her kiss becomes something more, her lips trailing down his neck, savoring the salty taste of sweat.

It had been far too long since they’d had a date night, so Leslie offered to take the kids for a few hours. April and Andy had planned on going all out—expensive dinner, movie, and then back home for some kid-free, guilt-free, adult fun—but then decided to open the anniversary gift Ron had sent them. It was the usual bottle of Lagavulin whisky.

Needless to say, the both of them hadn’t really gotten drunk too often since becoming parents. Their tolerance wasn’t what it used to be.

“This is the best—“ Andy rips off his shirt and let’s April go to town, “—date night ever, babe.”

“Oh,” she smiles, biting down hard on his thick shoulder, eliciting a groan from him. “It’s just getting started, Andy…”

Andy’s pants are literally halfway down his legs when the doorbell rings.

“Shit,” April slumps against him and sighs.

“No, no, babe, let’s ignore it! Maybe they’ll go away,” he says frantically, cupping her cheeks and kissing her between every few words.

“What if it’s something about the kids?” she asks, trying to regain some form of composure in her drunken state. Grabbing her own shirt, she slips it back over her head and stumbles toward the front door.

Sure enough, Ben is at the door carrying a nauseous-looking Jack.

“Baby,” April reaches forward immediately, pulling her son into her arms. “What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“I’m so sorry guys,” Ben sighs. “I know it was supposed to be your night off, but he’s been throwing up, and all he’s been asking for is to come home.” He takes one look over at Andy, sill shirtless on the couch, and grimaces. “Or, you know, I can just take him back—“

“No,” Jack shakes his three year old head. “I wanna stay home, Mama,” he clutches at her, hiding his face against her neck.

Andy sits up a little from his place on the couch, and peers over at them. “April?” he slurs slightly. “Is everything okay? What’s Jack doing here?”

“He’s sick, babe,” April calls back, before turning to Ben. “Where’s Allie?”

“She’s with Leslie,” Ben says. “We figured we’d wait to bring her back to see what you wanted to do first.”

It’s funny how quickly parenting sobers you up.

“It’s fine,” she says, kissing Jack’s hair. “Can you bring her back?”

“You sure you’re…um…” Ben opens his mouth and closes it again, at a loss for words.

“We’re fine, Ben, jeez…” April rolls her eyes.

“Okay, well, just so you know, we tried calling you like ten times,” he shrugs. “So I had no choice but to show up.”

“Just go get our other kid,” she nearly shouts at him, and Ben hurries back to the car mumbling something about “the old days” that April doesn’t bother to figure out.

“He’s right, babe,” Andy says, holding up his phone. “Guess we didn’t hear it go off…”

“It’s fine,” April says softly, rocking her little boy in her arms as Jack begins to doze. “It’s perfectly fine.”

Yeah, it would have been amazing to have some alone time…some real, kid-free alone time. But Jack and Allie would come first no matter what, and as she carries their son to the couch to join Andy, who wastes no time in scooping his son and wife into his own, strong arms, she can only smile and be thankful for everything she has.

Plus, there was plenty of Lagavulin left for next time.


	41. Cuddles V (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by anotheropti on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"Totally platonic cuddles"_
> 
> Set during the very last scene in S3E3, _"Time Capsule"_

Andy had never been to a drive-in without cars before. He supposed you could call it that, anyway. Dozens of people showed up to watch the movie about a vampire guy and some high school girl falling in love, and to if he was completely honest, Andy had no idea what the hell was happening. He had a hard time following, no matter how many times Donna whispered plot points in his ear. So eventually he just zoned out and focused on other things.

Namely, other people. Like April, who was sitting right next to him, practically sharing a blanket, her eyes alternating between the dumb movie and the screen of her phone.

He was shocked she even sat next to him. There were plenty of other places, but she chose the spot to his left, and sat down without so much as a word to him.

Well, she _did_ speak when she told him Eduardo had gone home to Venezuela, and that made him happier than he’d felt in a while.

“Hey,” he leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Do you get what’s happening here? I’m confused.”

She frowned, pulling her head farther away from him. “Please don’t talk to me,” she grumbled. “I’m trying to ignore you.”

“Oh,” he mumbled. “Um, okay… I just don’t understand this movie—“

“Then go ask someone who does!” she whirled around and finally made eye contact, though she looked angry and annoyed at him. “I don’t care!”

“I’m, uh, I’m good right here,” he shrugged. Really, he didn’t want to move away from her. So, Andy tried to focus on the scene in front of them. It didn’t take long for his eyes to glaze over and his mind to wander.

It was chilly, too. It was only a little while later that he saw April wrap her arms around herself, rubbing her arms though her sweatshirt over and over. Even out of the corner of his eye he could see her shivering. April always got so cold so easily.

“Hey,” he shrugged out of his favorite maroon hoodie, quickly giving it a sniff to make sure it wasn’t gross, because he couldn’t remember the last time he tossed it into Burly's laundry hamper. “Here, you can have this.”

She looked over quickly and shook her head. “No thanks.”

“C’mon,” he urged her. “I know you’re cold, April.”

She sighed, before slowly turning around and accepting it from him. She put it on without a word, her skinny frame swimming in the extra large clothing.

“Thank you,” she muttered, turning to face him fully. She wasn’t scowling this time. In fact, this was the happiest—if anyone could call it that—her face looked toward him in a long time.

“You’re welcome,” he said earnestly. He didn’t even care that he had nothing on but a t-shirt. Honestly, he was just happy she wasn’t cold anymore.

Wordlessly, she scooted backwards until she was able to lean against his arm and let her weight fall on him. Andy couldn’t believe she came this close…she told him every single day how she couldn’t stand him.

He wasn’t sure if he should say something. April seemed pretty content right then. She even put her phone away. So, Andy straightened himself out to give her better leverage and dared to move a couple of inches closer. She still didn’t budge.

He still had no idea what it was about, but _Twilight_ quickly became one of his favorite movies from that point on.


	42. Cuddles VI (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Post-proposal cuddles"_

Her finger was sticky, but April didn’t care.

She adjusted the half-eaten ring pop, staring at it with such a huge smile on her face her cheeks were starting to hurt. Beside her, Andy clung tightly to her waist with his head resting over her shoulder, too happy to speak.

“We’re getting married,” she said softly, not fully believing it no matter how many times she said it. It took a fraction of a second to say yes, or rather, “Fine,” but she knew deep down that it was the best decision she’d ever made in her life.

“We’re getting married,” he repeated, kissing her shoulder blade.

Up until this moment, her life had been a crazy jumble of indecision, anxiety and annoying people. She never knew what she wanted when it came to a lot of things. Decisions didn’t come naturally to her as they did to someone like Leslie Knope, or Ron Swanson even. She didn’t care about people.

She cared about Andy, though. She loved him, and that decision was an easy one to make.

“I love you,” she said instantly, taking a deep breath and inhaling the scent of him. She wanted to remember every little thing about this moment, from the clothes they were wearing (or not wearing) to the way his lips tasted (which was cherry, thanks to the ring pop) to the soft music playing from his boombox.

“I love you too,” he replied immediately. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, April.” He pulled her closer, the little futon creaking beneath them in the spare room of Burly’s house. “I wish I could marry you right now.”

“Who says we have to wait?” she looked up at him. “Let’s do it!”

“Yeah?”

“Duh,” she kissed him. “Tomorrow!”

“Wait!” he gasped as they broke apart. “I’ve got a great idea! Let’s have a huge party here to celebrate! We can invite everyone from work, and they can all bring stuff—“

“Yes,” she nodded. “I love it.”

“We can surprise everyone, y’know? Make them think they’re just coming for a dinner party—then BOOM—wedding ceremony!”

“Yes!” she clutched his arm, leaning into him. “We should definitely invite Ann, too.”

“Really?” Andy looked puzzled. “Babe, you don’t like Ann.”

“I know!” April said happily. “I want to invite her so she can see you marry me.”

“Honey,” Andy kissed her—again—passionately, making her chest fill with heat. “You’re so sexy when you’re trying to be sneaky—“

“Yup,” she pulled her shirt up over her head and tossed it aside, gently pushing him back down on the bed. “I know.”

“We can call our families in the morning,” he said, doing the same with his own button down.

“Uh-huh,” she sat, straddling him, and held her hand in front of her to look at the yellow plastic once more.

She was going to spend the rest of her life with him…and it was truly _awesomesauce._


	43. Walk-In (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by cometothedarkside-x (and anonymously) on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _"Setting: Walk-In Closet"_
> 
> Guys, I just love writing pregnant April. I love writing Andy's soft, careful body language with her. I can't help it.

“This party is so boring,” April mumbled, sipping her glass of seltzer that was nearly empty now. “Do you think anyone would notice if we left?”

“I dunno babe,” Andy watched the various politicians walk by, all of them jabbering on about the most boring things in the world. “probably not.”

April knew he hated events like this just as much as she did. If they weren’t doing it for Leslie, they wouldn’t be here at all.

She always invited them to these things, and the food and drink was great. But April hated the small talk, and often hid away with Andy in some dark corner until it was over.

“We can leave, I guess,” she suggested. “I mean, we don’t have to be here.”

“Yeah,” Andy stood behind her, his hands around her waist and resting on her little belly bump hidden beneath her dress.

“I mean, being pregnant is an amazing excuse to bail,” she placed a hand over his. “All I have to do is tell them I’m going to puke, and they’ll practically kick us out. God forbid I throw up on Joe Biden’s shoes or something.”

“We promised Leslie we’d stay for dessert, though,” Andy sighed. “Ben, too…”

“Ugh,” April groaned. “This is the worst.”

“Hey,” Andy stood up a little straighter, gently spinning his wife in his arms. “I’ve got a great idea babe,” he whispered, the smile on his face widening by the second. “Let’s go make out somewhere.”

April’s grin matched his in an instant. Her husband always had the best ideas.

“C’mon,” she led the way, checking both directions to make sure no one was watching as she led him upstairs to the second floor.

They were a giggling mess, kissing like two teenagers as they stumbled into the walk-in closet of the guest bedroom. They were familiar with it, having stayed in this very room while part of their house was being worked on when they first moved to DC.

April pushed Andy up against one of the walls, falling through a curtain of Ben’s dress shirts. He thumped against the hard wood, laughing loudly before she shushed him and pressed her lips to his.

It was exhilarating doing something like this again. They definitely weren’t old, nor were they boring adults, but they also certainly hadn’t done anything like this in a while.

“Take your shirt off,” April commanded suddenly, as Andy stared at her with wide eyes. “C’mon babe…” She tugged on his tie, loosening the knot until she could slip it over his head.

“April,” Andy laughed, as she bit and sucked on his neck. “I—don’t—“ his words were caught in his throat when she hit the spot below his jaw he loved so much. “Okay…”

“This is so much better than being downstairs,” April said, breaking away for Andy to return the favor, leaving wet, pink marks along her neck and down her chest. “We should’ve done this right away…”

“Uh-huh,” he nodded, slipping a hand down the front of her neckline. 

They didn’t hear the footsteps getting closer, nor did they hear Leslie and Ben talking to each other on their way to the guest room.

In fact, it wasn’t until the closet door swung open and the resulting screech from Ben and Leslie combined rang in their ears that Andy and April even turned around to look.

“Oh my God!” Leslie shrieked. “Andy—April—? What are you guys—? WHY?”

“Good Lord!” Ben yelled, slamming the door shut quickly.

April wasn’t sure how much they saw, but she was still straddling her husband on a pile of suits when she caught a fraction of their horrified faces.

“My God!” she yelled. “Seriously, Ben?”

“You’re in _my_ closet!” he yelled through the door. “What are you doing in there—I mean, _why_ are you doing it in there? On my clothes, no less!”

“Sorry Ben,” Andy called, sitting up on his elbows and looking embarrassed. “We needed something soft…”

“Oh…um…okay,” Leslie cleared her throat from behind the door. “We need a new shirt for Ben…he spilled wine and…oh, God, this is awful…”

“It’s not like this hasn’t happened before,” Ben mumbled to his wife.

“Can we just finish please?” April whispered to her husband, getting sore from her position.

“Seriously?” Ben said, aghast. “We can hear you!”

“Promise we’ll be out in a second,” Andy called. “C’mon, babe,” he gently helped lift April off him. “I promise, I’ll make it up to you later.”

April wasn’t worried about that, because Andy certainly did. The look on Ben and Leslie’s faces as she and Andy walked out of the closet and past them into the hallway, well, that was something to worry about, because April was sure they’d never be able to look at that closet the same way again.


	44. Arguments (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Did I stutter?"_

No couple is perfect.

April liked to think _they were,_ but it simply isn’t so. They’re tested, just like everyone else. They have disagreements, just like everyone else. She knows they are _them,_ and everyone else is lame, but sometimes it isn’t enough.

Climbing into bed that night, she curled up under the covers, her knees against her chest, as far from the center of the bed as humanly possible. She could hear him enter the room not long after, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as the mattress shifted and he curled up opposite her.

They’re not touching. They’re not even looking at each other, and it’s the worst.

For a moment, she considered turning around and saying something…putting an end to this silly argument and curling into his arms like always. Arms she needs, arms that keep her safe and loved and warm. But she can’t, so she doesn’t.

_“Did I stutter or something? Do you not get it? Seriously, Andy, sometimes you’re just so thick, I just—I just—“_

_“Just what?” There was anger in his voice, and it stung. “Just what, April?”_

_“Just leave me alone, okay? Leave me the fuck alone!”_

_“If that’s what you want!”_

She played the fight over in her head until she was exhausted, and eventually cried herself to sleep. As she drifted off, all she could think was that she wished she could open her eyes and have it all have been a dream.

 

Andy could hear her crying, even though she didn’t know it. He can hear her sobbing against the pillow, hear her sniffing into the sheets, and he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her tears away.

She doesn’t want that, though, and he was still pretty angry. Arguments are the worst, and he wished they didn’t happen. In fact, they rarely did…but sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop them.

He didn’t mean to be so dumb sometimes. That was what it had to be, right? He could be a little dense, he knew, and sometimes April just got worked up and annoyed with him. He didn’t blame her, but he wished he knew how to stop himself before he let it happen again.

He didn’t mean to ignore her, he truly didn’t.

 

When April woke the next morning, right away she realized how warm she felt, enveloped in that familiar scent she loves so much. That calming scent…the scent of her husband. When she opened her eyes, it didn’t take more than a second to realize she was wrapped in his arms. She doesn’t remember moving while she slept, but there’s no other explanation. They drifted to each other in their sleep, because that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Andy was peaceful. His chin rested against the top of her head, and she could feel his breaths in her hair. She turned her body so she was facing him, nuzzling closer until they’re practically one.

Something about her shifting around must have woken him, because she could feel him stretch his legs out beneath the blanket and yawn. When she looked up at him, his eyes instantly met hers with that same look of confusion on his face at their current position.

“Hey,” he rasped, his voice dehydrated in the early morning.

“Hi,” she whispered, giving him a shy smile.

They paused, the silence between them speaking volumes. In that moment, she knew it doesn’t matter what happened the previous night. They were, and would always be, okay.

“April,” he started, taking a deep breath. “I’m…I just wanted to tell you, um…about last night and everything—“

“I know,” she kissed him, interrupting his words because they weren’t needed. She knew how he felt, and that was all that mattered.

“I love you so much,” he whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

“I love you too,” she replied.

They stayed in bed for hours that morning, because there was time to be spent making up. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time that should be spent loving each other, and they both knew that was the way it would always be.

It was truly a comforting feeling.


	45. Keep Trying (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the wonderful, amazing meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr as a MM from "Live Ammo" (S4E19)

Andy knew April wasn’t getting up the moment the alarm clock rang out and she just let it go. Typically she’d slam it with her hand, or even sometimes throw it down onto the floor. This time, she pulled the covers up over her head and let the persistent buzzing go on and on and on.

Andy groaned, stretching his arms high in the air, before he carefully reached over her and hit the button himself. April wasn’t moving, so he gave her a gentle nudge.

“Sweetheart?” he whispered. “You uh, you gonna get up, or what?”

“No,” came her muffled response.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to go to work today, Andy. Tell them I’m sick.”

Andy was confused. She was fine last night…out of everyone, he’d know. Well, maybe fine wasn’t the word. After the “failed” pet adoption, they came home. April didn’t say much, not even when Andy tried to tell her it went well and she should be proud of her work. She only shrugged and grumbled about how work is stupid, and that was that. They ate leftover pizza, watched some TV, shared a six pack of beers and…well, Andy blushed a little thinking about what happened after that, but it was awesome. Then they went to sleep.

“But you’re not sick.“

“I know I’m not,” she pulled the blanket down and stared at him. “I don’t want to go in, okay? I hate everything.” She disappeared back underneath the sheets.

“What about—“

“Except you,” she quickly corrected herself. “and Champion.”

Andy sighed. There was no moving her, so he had no choice but to get ready for work himself.

 

Andy was just about to eat some cereal when April finally emerged from their room, slowly dragging her slippered feet, hair in a messy bun and shooting out in different directions. She’d dug a huge t-shirt out of the pile and slipped it over her head, and nothing else. Andy always thought she looked beautiful, but this time she actually looked as upset as she must have felt.

“Babe?”

“Yeah?” she went to make herself some tea, shuffling around in the cupboards.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“Well,” Andy put his spoon down, his breakfast forgotten. “Wanna talk about it?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” she shrugged, heating up a pan of water. “I tried, and I failed at something stupid. This is what happens when you try to do something good for people. It never pays off.”

“That’s not true,” Andy said. “You know it’s not.”

“Andy,” she sighed. “I’m just…not cut out for this helping people stuff.”

“Hey,” he put his hands on her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. “You’re the best person in the whole world, babe. Just because this didn’t work out doesn’t mean nothing else will. I know you’re going to have so many more opportunities for stuff like this.”

April looked up at him, a tiny smile on her lips. “I don’t know…”

“I do know,” he assured her. “So a bunch of the animals didn’t get adopted. So what? Leslie’s not gonna let anything happen to them. You still organized a kick-ass event, and you did it all on your own.”

“No I didn’t…”

“You did though,” Andy reminded her. “What did the rest of us do? Everything you told us to. You did it all, babe. We just helped you do it.”

April pulled him into a hug, and Andy happily returned it. He needed her to know how amazing she was, and he’d show her, every hour of every day, forever and ever.

“Thank you,” she whispered against him.

“I love you,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

“Love you too.”

“You still want to stay home today?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I really do.”

“Okay,” he said. “You do whatever you need to do, babe. I’ve got your back.”


	46. Cornfield (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set sometime between the end of S6 and before S7, so roughly 2014 to early 2017, Leslie overhears a private conversation between Andy and April.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested on by cometothedarkside-x on tumblr  
> Location Prompt: _"Cornfield"_

Another successful Harvest Festival was in the books, and Leslie Knope was finally able to take a break. Not that she needed one, because breaks were boring, but it was nice to be able to sit back and take a breath for once. Even now, when she no longer ran the Parks Department, she volunteered for everything she could. After all, wasn’t it she who singlehandedly resurrected the event from years past? Now, she smiled, watching the sun setting over the hill beyond the ferris wheel, pink and yellow and orange.

Somewhere, Ben was going around making sure all the visitors had indeed gone home for the evening, a job she absolutely hated to do herself. Ron was piling up the leftover corndogs and burgers from one of the food carts, stuffing them unceremoniously in a bag to undoubtably be eaten later on. Donna was closing up the medical tent, while Tom was schmoozing with some attractive girls who worked one of the cotton candy booths.

All her friends—yes, even Jerry—had once again come together and dedicated their time and energy into making this event great, and she would forever be thankful. There were only two people missing.

“Hey, Ron?” she turned to the older man. “Where are Andy and April?”

“Haven’t seen them,” Ron replied, sealing up his canvas bag and hiking it over his shoulder. "Last I heard they were at the corn maze.”

"The maze?” she repeated. “It’s getting dark!”

Ron shrugged. “I’m sure wherever they are, they’ll be fine.”

Fine? No, Andy and April were a lot of things, but responsible adults weren't part of that equation. She tried calling both of them, but neither picked up. _Typical…_

With a huff, Leslie turned and stomped in the direction of the huge, towering maze. The stalks were even higher this time around, but she knew the paths by heart.

“April?" she called, waving her flashlight around. “Andy?” She walked for ten minutes, listening for the familiar sounds of their voices. Nothing but the crickets answered.

Just when she was about to call it quits and send in the professionals—the police owed her a lot of favors, anyway—a sound from about fifty feet ahead broke her concentration.

“…okay to feel this way, sweetheart…”

“Andy…”

It was them. Leslie was about to charge through the stalks, emerging on the other side ready to scold them for causing this unnecessary search, but the sound of April’s voice made her stop in her tracks. She was crying.

“You know I love you no matter what?” Andy’s voice floated through the corn, soft and soothing. “You know I’ll always be here for you, and that’s never gonna change?”

“I know…it just sucks being like this,” April’s voice shook. “I hate it, Andy. I hate being this way…but I can’t…”

Leslie wasn’t sure what to do. On the one hand, she needed to make sure they got out of the maze so they could close up the grounds for the evening. On the other, April sounded like she was seriously upset, and as much as Leslie wanted to help, intruding on their private moment wouldn’t be right.

“Listen,” Andy said, and his voice was calming. “Look at me, okay? I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere no matter what. I don’t want you to ever think otherwise.”

“I-I know—“

 _“I’m not going anywhere._ Okay?”

“Y-yeah…”

“Okay…c’mere, babe,” Andy said. “It’s been a super long day. What d’you say we head home?”

“Yeah…”

Their voices grew louder, and from the way they sounded Leslie knew they were heading straight for her. She had to make a decision quickly. Either stay, and they’d know she didn’t trust them and most likely heard their conversation. Leave, and act like nothing had happened when they eventually emerged.

She chose the latter.

 

It took them ten minutes to find the maze’s exit. Leslie was already back at one of the tents, packing up a few more items and checking them off her list. She watched from a distance.

Andy had his arm around April’s shoulder, while she wrapped both arms around his torso, seemingly uninterested in anything other than each other. Looking at her face, you wouldn’t be able to tell she’d been crying, but her body language said otherwise. Even Andy seemed solemn and serious, as though he dared anyone to come and bother his wife while he was around.

“You guys heading out?” Leslie called out to them.

They looked up at the sound of her voice, and Andy raised his arm in greeting.

“Yeah,” he smiled, and for a moment typical, goofy Andy was back. “Thanks Leslie! We’re gonna go home now.”

April didn’t say anything. In fact, she barely lifted her head away from Andy’s chest.

Before, there may have been a time when Leslie wouldn’t have been able to help herself. She’d try to get involved, try to get to the bottom of what was making April feel the way she did. That girl had many, many layers, and she was extremely picky about who she let in. Leslie was pleased to know she often was one of those individuals, but right now, everything was under control. Andy was that person now, and he’d most likely always be.

“Okay,” Leslie waved. “Have a goodnight guys! Thanks for everything this weekend.”

She’d never truly learn what it was that day that had made April so upset, but she knew it didn’t matter. The next time she saw the both of them, they were fine. In fact, they were so fine, that when she slammed the storage closet door closed in shock and surprise on them during their “extended” lunch break, she knew it was best to just let these things go.


	47. Overheard (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as _"Andy overhearing people talking bad about April and he defends her"_  
>  I also combined this with a prompt asking for more "Protective Andy" ;)  
> *The M rating is mostly for language*

Andy couldn’t have been happier about the turnout for Mouse Rat’s latest gig. He'd been a little worried for the past few weeks, only because they hadn’t played as much as they used to and the guys felt like no one really cared anymore. Well, there were enough people there to say otherwise, and it was awesome.

He scanned the crowd for his wife, and from his vantage point up on stage he had a clear view of pretty much the entire bar. Sure enough, she was exactly where he’d left her with Donna, seated at one of the tables further in the back. He caught her eye, and she gave him a small wave. He blew her a kiss.

Then, Rivers set a beat and they started to play, and Mouse Rat gave what was probably one of the best performances of their career.

 

“Babe!” April ran to him as he hopped off the front of the stage, throwing her arms around his sweaty neck to give him a kiss. “Did you hear the crowd? They loved you guys.” She cupped his cheeks with her hands.

“I know honey,” he said happily, kissing her again. “This was awesome. You were so right, they still kinda like us. I mean, right?”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded, never taking her eyes off him, smiling all the while.

“Nice job, Andy,” Donna came up behind April sipping the biggest martini he’d ever seen. “I’m really happy for you, and I’m even happier about this turnout. Did you _see_ some of the guys here? Excuse me for a minute, I’ve got some shopping to do…” She walked off, weaving her way through the crowd.

“Honey, I’ve gotta help the guys pack up,” Andy said, resting his hands on her shoulders. “Can you wait for me?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I‘ll be right over there, okay?” she pointed to a spot against the wall by the bar. “I’ll wait for Donna to come back… _if_ she comes back,” she rolled her eyes.

“Okay. I’ll be super fast, I promise!”

He started with the cords. The four of them often took turns at end-of-performance duties whenever they had a show, and tonight it was Andy’s turn to unhook all the cables and cords and pack them up. As he wrapped them around his arms in giant loops, following the wires off the stage, he couldn’t help but overhear some of the guys at the table to the right.

_“I don’t know…I think I’d totally fuck her.”_

_“Dude, for real? She looks like a straight-up bitch.”_

_“I heard her talking to her friend…you’d never wanna hit that. She’s miserable.”_

Andy frowned a bit. He hated overhearing conversations like these. Yeah, maybe they were a bit younger than him, but from the looks of them it wasn’t by much. Still, it didn’t give them the right to talk so terribly about people they didn’t know, or objectify women. If Women’s Studies class and being married to the most amazing woman in the world taught him anything, it was that. He gave them a dirty look and tried to divert his attention back to his job.

_“Oh, here she comes now…”_

Andy looked up, only to try to find the source of their terrible comments. What he wasn’t expecting was to see his wife walking right by them. Apparently, she’d found Donna somewhere close by.

The three guys stared as she walked by, and to his horror, Andy watched as they eyed her back-to-front from the chest down. Then, the anger took over. No one talked about April like that. Not while he was around…not ever, in fact.

“Hey,” Andy tossed aside the cables and walked up to them, his eyes narrowed.

“Um, hey,” the first guy said, looking at him little warily. Andy was taller than all of them.

“Can we help you, man?” the second asked.

“Yeah, you can,” Andy said. “You wanna tell me why you three are talking about my wife like that?”

He saw the color drain from their faces one by one as they stammered, trying to cover their tracks.

“Dude, we weren’t talking about your wife,” the third one said quickly. “We were talking about someone else.”

“Oh yeah?” Andy said angrily. “Didn’t sound like it.”

“What, you don’t believe us?”

“No,” Andy said. “Can’t say I do.”

“Dude, fuck off,” the first one said. “Go somewhere else.”

“No, I’m not gonna do that,” Andy said. “Apologize, or I’m gonna have to kick your asses.”

They looked at each other, unsure what to do. The second one laughed nervously, trying to play it off like it was no big deal.

“Listen guy,” he said. “We weren’t serious, okay? It’s just guys talking.”

“Oh yeah?” Andy raised his eyebrows in mock confusion. “Really? Just talking huh?”

“Yeah—“

“That’s all it was—“

“Your wife’s pretty hot, so you should take it as a compliment—“

That last comment made him, if possible, even angrier. Andy took a step forward and was pleased to see the three of them back up a pace. By now, he could see April staring out of the corner of his eye. It was only a matter of time before she came back over.

“Get out now, or I’ll literally throw the three of you out the door with my bare hands,” he said softly. _“Don’t fucking test me.”_

Something about the way he stared at them must have gotten to them, because they all left their empty glasses on the table and turned toward the exit, shooting him dirty looks on their way out. Andy watched until the door closed behind them.

“Babe?” April’s voice came up behind him, and he could feel her small hand wrapping around his wrist. “What’s going on?”

The anger left him immediately as he turned to face her. “Nothing,” he said, hugging her tightly. “Just talking to some losers who took off.”

“Oh yeah? About what?” she asked. “The looked scared.”

“Nothing babe,” he assured her, planting a kiss on her head. “C’mon, I’m almost done and then we can leave.”

“You okay?” she asked, staring up at him as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Yeah,” Andy nodded. “I’m just thinking about how I have the greatest wife in the world, that’s all.”


	48. Carried Away (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy gets a little carried away during sex...and feels absolutely terrible about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Was that supposed to hurt?"_

Sometimes, and Andy typically enjoyed those moments greatly, he and April were a little overly rough in bed. April especially loved those times, loved when he’d slip into some tough-guy character for a little bit of roleplaying. Once that happened, it was easy for him to get lost in the characters with her, and that meant getting lost in the moment. It was pretty difficult to break free of those scenarios, at least until they’d finished.

It was April’s yelp of pain that stopped him in his tracks. It was real pain, not the typical low groan or really sexy noise she always made during sex. It was a serious, legitimate, painful sound, and Andy felt his stomach curl.

He climbed off her hurriedly, his eyes wide, his heart beating frantically. “Honey,” he turned her around and cupped her cheeks, tilting her head upwards so she could look at him, but her eyes were still tightly shut. “Baby, I’m so sorry, oh my God…”

April slowly opened her eyes, breathing hard. Carefully, she reached up to her neck where Andy’s hand had previously been holding on, and rubbed at the rapidly growing red mark there.

“Was that…supposed to hurt?” she said slowly, trying to smile even though he could tell she was still in pain.

Andy couldn’t remember a time when he felt so terrible. In that moment, he hated himself.

“Are you okay?” he asked her seriously, reaching out to brush a finger against her neck.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she nodded, her free hand going to right below her belly where his other hand had gripped her hard. “I think you just got carried away.”

“No, that’s not an excuse,” Andy said hurriedly, kissing her face over and over. “I fucking hurt you and it’s not okay.” He was so much bigger than her. He should have known better. He hated getting this way, and just like he always feared would happen, he’d taken it too far.

“Andy,” she smiled softly at him. “Babe, it’s nothing. C’mon, let’s finish.”

“No,” he shook his head frantically. “No, I can’t…not after that.” As much as he’d been into the sex a few minutes earlier, he’d never wanted to distance himself from the thought of it so badly.

“Andy!” April looked shocked. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt me! It was an accident! You know how much I like it when you get rough like that, I think you just got a bit too into it, and that’s fine—“

Andy stood up and found his underwear, putting it on in a hurry. “I can’t.” What right did he think he had to take advantage like that? He sat back down on the edge of the bed, gripping his knees tightly. After a few moments, he heard her sliding along the mattress until she was next to him.

“Hey,” she leaned against his side. She was still naked, but draped the thin bed sheet around herself to keep warm. “Listen to me. _It was an accident.”_

“April,” he looked at her, and the ugly red welt that had blossomed along her neck was still there, a terrible reminder of what he’d done. “I never, ever want to hurt you. Even if it _was_ an accident, it was still a...a shitty thing to do.”

“I love you so much,” she reminded him. “Do you think I’d be with you if you were the type of guy who _meant_ to do stuff like this?” she asked softly.

He shook his head.

“Do you think you’d ever mean to do something like this?”

“Never!” he answered immediately. “I’d _never_ mean to do something like that.”

“Exactly,” she said. “You’d never. And I trust you.”

He looked up at her slowly, his eyes traveling to her neck and down to the other area below. The red mark wasn’t as bad below her stomach, but it was still visible. “I love you so much, babe,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”

“C’mon,” she said, pulling at him and gesturing to the center of the bed. “I’m no where near finished and neither are you.” She smiled shyly at him during that last bit, and Andy finally felt like he could give her one in return.

“I dunno," he said slowly. “I’m totally not in the mood anymore,” he gestured to the front of his boxers, which was undoubtably…unaroused.

“I can fix that,” April said, her voice silky. Her hand found its way into his lap, working its way under the elastic band.

Andy let out a little gasp of air when she gripped him, hard, and stroked up and down.

“Better?” she asked, her grin widening. She sped her hand up, and the friction was driving him wild.

“Uh-huh,” he nodded dumbly, his expression blank, because seriously, how else could he possibly respond when she was grabbing his dick like this? He was hard again in seconds, and April let go, slipping her hand out of his underwear if only to pull him by the arm back toward the center of the bed. He followed without question, and when she turned over to lay on her stomach like before, he gently rolled her back onto her back. “No babe,” he said, his voice a whisper. “I wanna look at you.”

April’s smile only grew wider, and Andy leaned down to kiss her. He was going to be careful this time. There was no way he would ever go that far again, not even if she asked him to. Right now, he needed to make every second of that moment up to her, until she was crying out again from pleasure instead of pain.

She spread her legs, waiting, pulling at him impatiently, and Andy didn’t waste another moment. With a quick thrust, he sheathed himself inside her again, and this time, his pace was gentle, soft and slow. His lips covered her in kisses, trailing from her mouth to her neck, to her collarbone and back up again. April ran her fingers through his hair, bunching the curls up and tugging a little as she arched into him with each pulse. There were no sounds of pain this time, only moans of approval and little, sharp intakes of breath that Andy wanted to hear all day, every day, for the rest of his life.

_“Babe,”_ she gave a breathy groan, squeezing her eyes shut tight, while at the same time locking her legs around his back. Then she let out a long, low moan. He could feel her tighten around him, clawing at his back as she tried to hold on, and with one final roll up against him, she let herself fall back completely against the mattress with her fingers still trailing in his hair. _“Fuck…”_

Now Andy was reaching his brink. “You’re so— _fuck_ —fucking beautiful,” he managed between thrusts, the sweat drenching his forehead. “Oh my God…”

It didn’t take him long after that. He bore as deep as he could go and came with a deep growl, stilling inside her, until he collapsed on top of her in a panting heap. April kissed his sweaty neck, leaving a trail of warm, wet spots up to his ear.

“I love you,” she breathed.

“Love you too babe,” he coughed out, catching his breath. As he looked down at her slender form, at her smiling, exhausted face, all he could think about was how gorgeous she was…how lucky _he_ was to be hers. “Did I hurt you again?” he asked nervously. He suddenly felt like he got carried away again, and if he hurt her even a little… 

“No,” April kissed him on the mouth. “God no, Andy…I feel amazing.”

With a tired smile, Andy rolled off her and pulled her against him. He trailed kisses along her shoulder, then to her ear and back again. April squirmed against him, giggling softly whenever he touched on a sensitive, ticklish spot. “Babe!”

“You’re beautiful,” he said automatically, because why keep such an obvious truth to himself? He wanted to shout it as loud as he could, to anyone and everyone who would listen because April Ludgate-Dwyer _was_ beautiful, and smart, and a million other wonderful things.

“Stop,” April rolled her eyes, but he knew she didn’t mean it. She reached out to rub the scruff on his cheek, her smile wide and genuine. Then with one more kiss, she nestled herself back against him and sighed, closing her eyes.

Andy covered her protectively with his arm, and felt the heavy weight of exhaustion creeping up on him. He always got sleepy after sex, but the cuddling part was half the fun. He breathed deeply against her hair, letting her scent waft over him, lulling him into an easy sleep.

When they wake in the morning, he would be sure to spend even more time reminding her just how amazingly perfect she is.


	49. Only the Truth (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some early relationship Andy and April for you! What's better than Andy being the best boyfriend in the world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the lovely meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :D  
> Prompt: _"You have the most amazing eyes."_

Andy knew he probably shouldn’t be doing this. He was supposed to be a professional, and he had a reputation as an awesome shoeshiner to uphold. He could lose his customers if he wasn’t careful, and that was the last thing he wanted.

However, it was pretty damn hard to care about such dumb things when he had the most beautiful woman in the world sitting in his lap, with her arms linked around his neck, kissing him better than anyone had ever kissed him in his entire life.

He and April sat in the vacant shoeshine chair, ignoring the people who passed by them. Most gave them looks, or made sounds of disapproval, but neither he nor April cared at the moment. Until someone awesome like Leslie Knope or Ron Swanson told them to stop, they were gonna keep going.

“God,” he said, once April broke away to stare at him again. He loved her stare. It was always so serious and beautiful all at once. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too,” she said shyly, averting her eyes in that adorable way only April could pull off.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, running his hands up her back. “You have the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

“Shut up,” she rolled those beautiful eyes and smiled at him, before leaning in for another kiss. Her mouth met his, hungry and eager.

“You do,” he mumbled against her lips.

She truly did. He could get lost in those deep brown eyes forever, and he’d die a happy man. How he ever got so lucky to end up with someone like her was forever beyond the scope of his imagination.

“Andy,” she chuckled softly, pulling away. “C’mon, stop making shit up.”

“What?” he looked at her, confused. “Why would I make that up?”

April shrugged and looked down at the floor, her grip around his neck slackening. “I dunno…because it’s not true?”

“Who says it’s not true?” he asked immediately, getting angry at the very thought. “Seriously April, tell me who said that about you—“

“Andy,” she cupped his cheeks and made him look directly at her. “No one said anything bad about me, okay? It’s just…I’m not this beautiful, amazing person you keep talking about. No use saying that just to make me feel good.”

Andy knew he would never say that stuff if he didn’t mean it. He may have been careless with certain things in his past, but he prided himself on his honesty, at least. Especially when it came to loved ones. As far as that list goes, April would always be at the top.

“April,” he said softly, placing his hands over her own and bringing them to his lap. “Why would I say that if it wasn’t true?” He honestly couldn’t believe she didn’t believe him. “I mean every word.”

“No one who ever says that to me ever really means it,” she said quietly.

“Well, I’m not like those other people,” he said, trying hard not to imagine April with anyone else but him, even if it happened before they knew each other.

“Andy—“

“No, listen to me,” he said, and he lowered his voice so only she could hear. “I love you so much, April Ludgate,” he leaned in so they were forehead to forehead. “You’re the most beautiful, most amazing person I’ve ever met, and I don’t care what you think, because it’s true.”

She stared at him, hard, unblinking. Then she smiled, and slowly leaned in to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug.

Andy pulled her close, enveloping her in his huge arms as tightly as he could without crushing her. He wanted to kiss her again, and he was about to, when Leslie arrived with an exasperated look on her face.

“Andy…April,” she sighed, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. “I’ve gotten about a dozen complaints about the two of you being rather…um…y’know… _explicit_ in public. It needs to stop.”

“Sure,” April looked over her shoulder and shrugged, before hopping off the chair. She reached out for Andy’s hand, looking up at him to follow.

“No problem, Leslie,” he said, taking off his shoeshine apron and tossing it aside. “I’m done for the day anyway.”

Leslie blinked. “Thats—that’s it? No argument? No insults?” she crossed her arms. “Are you feeling okay, April?”

“I’m fine,” April rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, we’re fine Leslie,” Andy assured her. “We’re gonna go hang out at my place now.”

The blonde woman blinked as though she couldn’t believe how easy that conversation had been. “Oh…um, all right then.”

“Yeah,” April nodded, leading the way. “See you, Leslie.”

As Leslie turned to walk away, Andy made sure April wasn’t looking before he reached into the candy bucket and grabbed a ring pop, stuffing it into his pocket.

He was going to need this later.


	50. Eclipse (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In honor of the "Great American Eclipse of 2017" as it's being called...
> 
> Leslie decides the best way to view the eclipse is with her entire National Parks team, and April feels like she's got better things to do. Well, so does Andy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by cometothedarkside-x on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"You’re the most amazing, incredible, beautiful being I’ve ever met."_
> 
> **This definitely has hints of S5E1, btw. I guess you can say the A/A reunion inspired me a bit.**

“Okay everyone,” Leslie clapped her hands, drawing the attention of the entirety of the National Parks Service office. “It’s finally time! Everyone get your eclipse glasses and let’s go!”

April groaned, grabbing the two pairs of special glasses on her desk, one for her and one for Andy. Leslie, in her magnified excitement of this particular national event, had ordered them for the entire office months ago. She’d been planning for this day way longer than April cared to admit.

“C’mon April!” the blonde woman said excitedly, looking very much like a kid in a candy shop. “This is going to be so amazing!”

The televisions had been tuned into various different stations, all broadcasting some form of news about the eclipse from all the way across the country. To April, it was starting to get annoying.

“Yeah,” April rolled her eyes. “Amazing…awesome…whatever…it’s just a stupid eclipse.”

“It’s more than that!” Leslie said, as she and April led the rest of the office down to the first floor. “It’s a historic event! The Great American Eclipse of two thousand and seventeen!”

April shrugged, looking around for her husband once they reached the doors to City Hall. Sure enough, he and Ben were already making their way over from around the corner. Andy had just finished filming an episode of Johnny Karate, and hadn’t bothered to change out of his karate gi.

“Babe!” he shouted happily, bounding to her like the giant puppy he was and kissing her on the cheek. “This is so awesome! Ben told me I had to make sure to keep the glasses on or else I might go blind, but I think he was joking.”

“He wasn’t,” April said, smiling despite how much she didn’t want to do this. “That’s one thing he’s actually right about.”

“Oh,” Andy said, looking a little disappointed. “Well, that’s okay. Did you bring my glasses?”

She held them up, and Andy pumped his fist in the air and took her hand, leading her to the lawn where the other observers were gathering.

 

Leslie spread out a blanket for herself and Ben, and April watched as the two of them cuddled up next to each other like a pair of lovestruck, science-loving dorks. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be there, but she’d been feeling pretty down about a lot of things lately. The last thing she needed was to sit outside with a bunch of people she couldn’t stand—save a select few—and stare at the sun.

Andy was more excited than anyone. He kept putting the glasses over his eyes, laughing about how he couldn’t see anything, and taking them off again.

“This is so cool,” he said. “Hey, honey, d’you think Burt Macklin would own a pair of these? I mean, I think he would. Everyone else would think they’re just plain old solar eclipse glasses, but they really give him x-ray vision.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled, but his grin faded when he saw her face. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured him. “I just think this is dumb, that’s all. I’ve got so much on my mind, you know? I could be trying to figure out my life instead of doing…this,” she gestured with her hand.

“Maybe it is dumb,” he shrugged. “But I’m glad we get to watch it together, babe. And maybe this is exactly the type of thing you need to help clear your mind a little bit.”

“A solar eclipse?” she said.

“Well,” Andy blinked, “yeah, but more importantly, a break from work and getting to spend some time with the people—mainly me—who love you.”

Sometimes Andy was just too optimistic for his own good, but his attitude never failed to make her feel better. She scooted closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Oh, oh!” Leslie nearly shrieked, checking her watch. “Okay guys, put them on!” Her voice carried over the crowd, and there was a shuffling of bodies and movement as everyone put the glasses on and looked up at once.

“Um,” the voice of Terry—Larry?—Jerry mumbled from somewhere behind them. “I think one of my lenses is broken…”

“Then keep one eye closed, Terry!” Leslie snapped quietly. “Now shush!”

April looked up, and truth be told, it was actually pretty amazing. She watched as the sun glowed far above them like a ball of fire, partially obscured by the dark shape of the moon as it passed over. Beside her, she could hear her husband’s quiet breathing and the occasional comment about how awesome it was. Slowly, she reached for his hand and grasped it, his large palm enveloping hers in his typical warmth.

She could feel Andy shift beside her and his comments die out, so she looked back down and removed the glasses out of curiosity. He was staring at her with lidded, droopy eyes.

She smiled at him. “What?”

“Nothing,” he shrugged. “I mean, this is awesome but…honestly babe, looking at you sitting out here, just…”

“Yeah?”

“The eclipse is beautiful and awesome or whatever,” he said, reaching out to tuck some hair behind her ear. “But honestly, you’re the most amazing, incredible, beautiful being I’ve ever met…and this,” he pointed up at the sky, “well, it doesn’t really compare.”

April felt a wealth of heat spread from her face, to her chest, and lower still, and bit her lip. Sometimes she felt shitty, but she always found solace in the fact that the best part of her life was sitting right in front of her, no matter how confused she was feeling about everything else.

“I love you,” she said softly, scooting over and into his lap.

“I love you too,” he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck, his scruffy, patchy beard tickling her in the best way.

“Look at all these dorks looking up at the sky,” she whispered.

“Yeah,” Andy chuckled, grazing her ear with his lips. “I bet they’d never even notice if we started making out because those glasses block out everything but the sun.”

April glanced up at him quickly, and they both smiled at exactly the same time.

 

“Oh, wow,” Leslie sighed, taking the special glasses off. “That was absolutely amazing!” she nudged Ben, who was leaning on the palms of his hands beside her. “Wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, sitting up. “Totally cool.”

Around them, the onlookers all stood up and stretched, removing the little cardboard specs and sharing comments about what they’d just witnessed. Leslie beamed with pride, ecstatic that her entire Pawnee team was able to be together for such an event.

Speaking of her team…

“What did you think, guys? Guys?” Leslie looked over to where April and Andy were sitting, and audibly gasped. “Guys! Not now!”

It was hard to get their attention while they were kissing like that. April straddled Andy, his hands working their way up the back of her shirt as he lay in the warm grass. They were completely lost in each other, so much so that they hadn’t noticed the eclipse had ended.

“Good Lord,” she heard Ben groan beside her. “Not again…”

“Guys!” Leslie nudged them with her foot. “Stop, we’re on City Hall property! GUYS!”

They broke apart with a soft sound and sat up, staring at her like she’d interrupted something. Well, she had, but still… Andy’s hair was a mess, and his karate gi was untied and half off his shoulders.

“What?” April asked, out of breath.

“Yeah,” Andy breathed heavily and glanced up at the sky. “W-what’s wrong? Why’d we all stop?”

“The eclipse is over,” Leslie sighed loudly. “Please stop before you get yourselves arrested.”

“Aw, sweet,” Andy nodded. “Awesome eclipse. Thanks for the glasses Leslie, it was really…something.”

“I’m sure it was,” Ben mumbled.

“Yeah,” April stood up quickly, pulling her husband by the hand. Leslie couldn't help but notice how pink her cheeks were. “Well, we’re gonna leave now.”

“Wait, wait!” Leslie stood up hurriedly. “I thought you guys were coming to my _‘Total Eclipse of the Park’_ party? I have it all set up in the courtyard and everything!” She was bummed April even thought about missing it. After all, the two of them had spent the better part of the morning setting it up.

“I know,” April said, looking slightly apologetic. “but…Leslie…how can I put this delicately…” she glanced shyly at her husband, and Andy returned it with his signature, goofy grin and that same star-crossed stare he always gave his wife. “We need to…go.”

“Yeah,” Andy nodded. “We need to have—“

“You know what,” Leslie interrupted before he could say anymore. “Never mind. You two go and do…whatever you need to do. Just…” she lowered her voice, “…please use protection—“

“We will!” Andy chuckled, his voice drowning out April’s noise of disgust. He took her by the hand and the two of them ran off, turning the corner at the edge of the building and disappearing from sight.

Leslie shook her head and watched them go, while Ben came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “We’re gonna get a call from the police department aren’t we?”

“Well,” her husband sighed. “They’ve gone this long without an arrest, so…”

Leslie nodded and gave him a knowing smile, before leading the rest of her team back into the building.


	51. Wedding Night (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think the title speaks for itself... ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

There was something special about the silence that hung in the air after the last party guest had left the house. The collective hum of dozens of people was gone now, and there was nothing left but the sound of crickets just outside the window and the dull soundtrack still playing from Andy’s boombox.

April watches her husband— _her husband_ …she can call him that now—wave goodbye to Burly and quietly thank him again for giving them privacy for the night. It was nice that Burly agreed, but honestly April was going to kick him out if necessary, so she wasn’t really worried about it to begin with.

She unnecessarily flattens out her white dress, although she doesn’t know why. It’s going to be on the floor in a matter of minutes. She can’t help the butterflies in her stomach, and it’s kind of weird. It’s not like they haven’t had sex before, but maybe it was the sheer fact that this would be their first time as husband and wife, and maybe—okay, definitely—she was a little excited about that.

Andy closes the door, and April looks up expectantly. “They’re gone, babe,” he says, his smile wide. “Burly says it’s cool, but he also said we need to clean up the house tomorrow before we leave because it’s a mess…”

“Ugh, who cares?” she rolls her eyes and joins him by the door, closing the space between them in a matter of seconds and linking her arms around his neck. “Let Burly clean it. We’re leaving for our honeymoon tomorrow, anyway.” She pulls him closer, and he’s so warm and soft and perfect she can’t help the sigh that escapes her lips.

“You’re right babe,” he practically purrs. His voice low and raspy and he leans down to touch his forehead to hers. “God, you are so beautiful. My wife is so beautiful…” His hands trail from her shoulders to her hips, sliding down slowly.

She kisses him, and it’s soft and hard all at once, deep and perfect. This is all she’d been waiting for. As much as it was a party to celebrate with everyone, it’s always been about the two of them, and it always would be. She’d have been happy marrying him in the middle of the woods for all she cared. She just wanted to be with him. From the moment he finally spoke those three words she knew there was no going back. She was lost in him from then on, and it was totally fine with her.

His grip tightens, and before long she hops up into his arms and links her legs around his back, and he catches her like she’s made of air.

“C’mon,” she says, lips trailing against the hard muscle of his shoulder before she bites down. “I’ve been waiting for hours for this stupid house to be empty and we have a long night ahead of us.”

The grin that splits his face is undeniable. “Absolutely,” Andy says, kissing her neck with little, measured pecks. “We’ve got all the time in the world…”

April groans, pressing herself against him, and it spurs Andy on. He walks her through the living room to his makeshift bedroom and closes the door, the both of them kissing all the while. Carefully, he lowers her down onto his bed—which is really just a mattress and a few sheets—and he attacks.

He kisses from her lips, to her cheek, to her ear and down her neck. Every press of lips on her skin sends an electric shock to her center, and all she can think about is how much she needs to rid herself of this dress. It’s nothing more than a hindrance at this point. Andy seems to read her mind, because he sheds his jersey in a quick movement of arms and hovers over her.

April looks up at him, watching his eyes roam over her hungrily. She’s used to guys looking at her, but none of them ever looked at her the way Andy does. His eyes are big and dilated, and she swears he licks his lips slightly, which only drives and pushes that heat through her. Slowly, she sits up enough to pull the dress over her head, shimmying out of it with ease and tossing it aside.

“Fuck,” he mumbles, diving forward once she’s down to her underwear and bra to attack her with lips and teeth. “You’re so fucking gorgeous.” His hand slides under the cup of the lacy piece she’d picked especially for this occasion, and he gently squeezes. “Gorgeous…” he whispers again. His hands move quickly and he finds the clasp with ease, and her bra falls to the side. “Holy shit…” he leans down to wrap his lips around her breast and groans. 

“Mmm,” she hums and nods, arching her body against him. “Andy…yes…”

He keeps at it, his tongue hot against her breast as he swirls and sucks. As amazing as his mouth is, she needs more than this. His breath is warm on her, and his breathing only gets heavier, until she can’t take it anymore and reaches down between them. Andy’s already hard in his pants, and he moans softly when she runs her hand over his bulge though his jeans. 

He doesn’t waste another moment. His hands go to his belt, undoing it with a few quick motions and then his jeans are open and down his legs, before they’re tossed to the side with the rest of the clothing. His dick pushes against his boxers, and April’s mouth waters. She always found him attractive, there was no doubt…but seeing him like this, poised above her, primal, eager…it does something crazy to her and she craves him more than she can explain. Her hand darts up and she drags the boxers down his thick thighs.

“Shit,” he hisses, when she wraps her hands around him. 

April strokes up and down, her nails dragging light lines along his shaft. She watches his face and the way his eyes close, the way he tries to catch his breath because suddenly he’s breathing heavier and faster and _God,_ she needs him so bad…

“Lean back,” she instructs, and he does so immediately. Sitting up against the wall at the edge of the mattress, Andy waits, watching her eagerly. April crawls forward and gives him a tiny smirk, before she takes him entirely into her mouth.

Andy moans, a hard, long sound that’s all rumble and low-pitched and pure desire. It makes April shifts her legs excitedly as she works him with her tongue.

“S-so good,” he pants. “Babe, oh my God, I love you—“ he grips the back of her head, guiding her up and down steadily, until he can’t take it anymore and has to pull away.

“No good?” April frowns, and for a moment she feels shitty. “Was it really that bad?”

“No,” he shakes his head and gently pushes her against the mattress until she’s on her back. His hands go to the edge of her panties, and he hooks his thumbs under the elastic band. “It was amazing…” He drags them down, down…all the way to her ankles until they come off to join his underwear on the floor. With one hand, he pushes her legs apart. “It was fucking amazing. But I want this to last…and this isn’t all about me.” He leans down, pulling her forward by her thighs and against his mouth.

“F-fuck,” she groans, curling her fingers in his hair as his tongue dives in and out, circling her, devouring her, worshipping her. “Andy…”

He whispers _“I love you’s”_ constantly, and April wants to feel those words on her forever. She watches him when she can, watches him devour her with eyes closed and nothing but pure elation on his face. She can feel herself climbing, feels that heat spread from deep within her chest throughout her limbs, and it’s nothing but pure adrenaline and ecstasy that she doesn’t want with anyone else, ever, for the rest of her life.

“A-Andy,” she calls out to him, and for a brief moment his eyes dart up and lock onto hers, and April loses it. She comes hard around his tongue, writhing beneath him in a hot, shivering mess, and he stays on her though it all. Her hands, which had been gripping his curls for dear life, fall limp against her sides, until Andy grabs them. He laces his fingers with hers and she rides through the rest of her orgasm holding onto him. When she finally opens her eyes again, every part of her feels like jelly. Andy sits back up, licks his wet lips, and wipes his mouth with his hand.

_God, he’s so fucking hot…_

April tries her best to sit up. Her chest is heaving and her body is buzzing, and Andy pulls her into his lap. She falls against him in heavy breaths, resting her head on his shoulder while he trails fingers up and down her back in long, slow motions . She hasn’t come that hard in a long time, and she feels completely gone, but judging by how hard he still is against her stomach, insistent but never forceful, she knows he needs that same release.

“I’m really glad we’re married,” she whispers, pressing her lips against his skin in little kisses. “Really, really glad…”

“Me too babe,” he replies, and with his finger he tilts her head up so he can kiss her mouth. She can taste herself on him and it’s just as amazing as always…but this time there’s even more passion in it all, and April thinks she just might lose it if she doesn’t feel him inside her soon.

With a quick shift, she lifts herself up and sinks down onto him, filling herself to the hilt until she feels him everywhere.

“Fuck,” he hisses, holding her hips steady on him as he throws his head back. “Oh my God, you feel perfect…”

“You’re so amazing, Andy,” she purrs, lifting herself until he’s barely an inch inside before dropping herself back down. “Amazing…hot…handsome…fucking _sexy,”_ she continues, and she can feel him practically pulsing inside and it’s the most incredible thing in the world.

He tries to thrust up into her, but he’s either so lost in her or too frozen in pleasure to get very far, so April moves for him. She rides him slowly at first, kissing him all the while before she goes faster…and before long they’re tumbling backwards onto the mattress. Andy flips them so he’s on top, and he drives into her furiously until she’s coming again with a harsh yell muffled against his neck.

He speeds up, his chest heaving, and then he’s as deep as he can go before he stills inside her. With a harsh, loud growl he comes, holding her tightly against him, hands covering every inch of her he can grab in mindless lust. Then he collapses on top of her, sucking in the air around them like he can’t breathe. 

For a while they just lie there, Andy panting above her, his head against her chest while she runs her fingers thought his soaked hair. She’s sore, fucked out, and she knows he must feel the same, but right now she’s never felt better in her entire life.

“My…God…” he breathes, lifting his head and kissing up her body, until he reaches her lips. He smiles against her mouth, and April has never been more in love with him than in this moment.

“Thank you,” she sighs, chuckling a little.

“Thank _you,”_ he grins, and then they're both laughing, holding each other, trying to regain some sort of movement in their exhausted bodies.

Minutes later—or maybe hours, April can’t tell—they move up the bed, tangled in each other’s arms. Andy holds her close, just the way she loves. April’s never been more ready for sleep, and she knows Andy feels the same, but quite honestly she wants nothing more than to stay up with him and do it all over again.

They have plenty of time for that, though.


	52. Alibi (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Burt and Janet are at it again...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by floralforelsket on tumblr!  
> Dialogue Prompt: _"I'm only here to establish an alibi."_

There was a stillness in the air. It made the hairs on the back of April’s neck stand up. There was something about the silence that was troubling, and she didn’t like it. She plucked at her pearl necklace, the tiny opalescent orbs suddenly heavy around her neck. The hallway was abandoned…for now.

She looked both ways before disappearing into an abandoned office. She glanced at the nameplate on the door—Perkins—and closed it behind her. It was pitch black inside.

“Well, well, well,” a smooth voice answered her, and then a lamp flickered on, illuminating the man seated behind the desk. “Ms. Snakehole,” he purred. “What brings you here this evening?”

_Macklin._

“What in the devil’s name are you doing here, Macklin?” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

Andy—Burt Macklin—stood, puffing his chest out importantly. He wore his security guard uniform, because that’s honestly what he was there to do…but he and April had other ideas to make the time pass by quickly. It got dreadfully boring at City Hall on the weekends.

“I could ask you the same thing, Ms. Snakehole,” Andy stood and approached her, close enough that they were nearly touching. He looked down at her, and she could almost see his eyes behind the cheap sunglasses. They were dark and full of lust.

“Don’t mind me,” she drawled, sucking on the end of her plastic cigarette holder. “I’m only here to establish an alibi…”

“That so?” Macklin chuckled darkly. “An alibi you say?”

She nodded.

“Well,” he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him. “I don’t think that’ll hold up in court, now will it?”

She could feel her heart pounding as it often did when Burt had this type of hold on Janet. It was sexy and exhilarating and fun, and she couldn’t get enough. Even after all this time, the stupid role-play they’d often do never failed to spice things up when they were bored.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she gasped. “I don't know anything about the murder on the fourth floor! I was visiting my sister, you see, and I have no idea how that body turned up stuffed in the closet!“

“Oh I think you do,” he whispered, before pulling her in for a deep, passionate kiss.

“Mmmf,” she broke away, gasping for breath. “Macklin, you devil,” she slapped him across the face, and for a moment she could see the glee in Andy’s eyes shining though his character. “How dare you?”

“Janet Snakehole,” he purred. “You are…without a doubt, the sexiest, creepiest, most beautiful woman I know,” he pulled her against him, his hand snaking around her waist.

“Take me, Macklin,” she breathed. “Take me right now.” She gripped his uniform by the collar and pulled him down for a kiss. Andy wrapped her in his arms and backed up with her against Ann’s desk, and without breaking apart swiped everything off the top with one brush of his arm. Then, he spun them around and pushed his wife—Janet—on top of it.

“I can’t deny you anything,” he whispered, running kisses along her neck. “Not now, not ever…I’m yours…”

“Oh, Macklin,” she cried out in exaggerated yells, but April knew it only turned him on further and smiled. “Take me!”

“Your wish,” Andy unbuckled his belt in a flash. “is my command.”

 

After, they were huddled on the floor at the foot of Ann’s desk. Her papers and folders and other important documents were scattered across the floor, and the both of them cuddled together to share in the exhausted bliss of their little rendezvous.

“Andy,” April laughed softly, abandoning her character. “That was amazing, babe.” She was breathing heavily, wrapped in his security guard shirt. Her intricate Janet Snakehole hairstyle was mussed up and shooting in different directions, and her makeup was smeared.

“Hell yes,” Andy nodded, leaning in for one more kiss. “That was awesome…but we kinda messed up Ann’s office…”

“Who cares?” April scoffed. “She’s stupid, anyway. She should lock her door if she doesn’t want anyone coming in here.”

“You’re right honey,” he nodded. “You’re so smart.”

They sat in silence, listening to the sound of the clock on the wall ticking the minutes away.

“How long until you’re done for the day?” April asked.

“Well,” Andy thought hard. “Chris said I had to stay until three.”

“Shit,” she sighed. “We still have two hours to go.”

“Yeah, that may be true,” he grinned at her. “but I think I know how we can pass the time.”

April smiled wide as Andy leaned over, gently pushing her onto her back. God, she loved him so much…and his stupid part-time job wasn’t so bad either.

Plus, the angry phone call from Ann on Monday morning would just be the icing on the cake.


	53. Just Really Happy (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April is just where she wants to be, with the person she loves most. It doesn't get much better than that.

She normally never woke up this early. Maybe it was the fresh air, which normally made her queasy, but today felt nothing but refreshing as it poured in through the open window. Maybe it was the silence, broken only by the occasional chirping of the birds outside. Maybe it was because she was just so damn _happy,_ and she wasn’t afraid to admit it. No matter the cause, April certainly didn’t mind when she stepped out onto the tiny porch of the little cabin and took a deep breath.

April loved it here. She’d certainly had her doubts when she purchased the property from Ron a few years back, wondering if it had been worth it in the first place. Then after several trips up here with Andy and Champion, it became obvious that she’d made the right choice.

Now, she stood in her underwear, wearing one of her husband’s unbuttoned flannels and nothing else as she sipped a cup of hot coffee and looked out toward the woods. Champion padded out the open door, staring up at her with tired eyes before he curled up by her feet.

April smiled. If Champion was up, that usually meant Andy had woken as well. Their three-legged companion typically waited until both his parents were out of bed before stirring.

“Hey Champion,” she said softly, scratching behind his ears. He wagged his tail in appreciation. “Where’s dad?”

Andy had been out cold when she'd left the bed. She’d had to slip out from under his grip to avoid waking him—though it was nearly impossible because he was an incredible sleeper—and when she did, he merely flipped over and continued to snore lightly. 

“Right here.”

April smiled, and it was barely a second later she felt Andy’s arms wrap around her, circling her waist and coming to rest on the front of her hips. He slumped against her, peppering her neck with soft kisses until he rested his chin on her head. “Morning babe,” he whispered.

“Morning,” she said softly, tilting her head back into his neck.

Andy wasn’t much more clothed than she was. He was barefoot, and he’d slipped a t-shirt on when he’d gotten out of bed to accompany his boxers. He yawned wide, nuzzling the side of her head with his nose.

“Last thing I remember was holding you while you were sleeping,” he said. “I woke up and you were gone.”

“It was just too perfect out,” she replied, sipping her coffee. “I had to come out here.”

“I don’t mind, babe,” he said, punctuating his words with kisses to her neck. “I just wanted to come find you because I can’t sleep without you.”

“That makes two of us,” she shrugged, turning in his arms to kiss him softly on the mouth. Andy held her tighter and lifted her a little off the ground. “Andy!” she laughed.

“C’mon,” he said, backing up into the porch chair. Champion looked up and watched the two of them, wagging his tail slowly, before curling back up beside the door.

“Mmm,” April hummed, snuggling against her husband comfortably. “This is perfect.”

“Sure is,” Andy nodded.

April laced her fingers with his and played with his hand, her head against his shoulder. “Andy?”

“Yeah?”

“You happy we’re here?”

Andy looked at her, his eyes searching her the way he did when he was checking to be sure she was all right. He’d get that same look whenever she was feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or when she just couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. It was a look of love, devotion, and concern, and immediately she felt him shift so he could cradle her better.

“Of course I’m happy,” he said firmly. “I’m happy I’m here with you and Champion. I’m happy we decided to take the week off. I’m super happy I’m married to you, by the way.”

“I know,” she rolled her eyes playfully. “I’m just making sure.”

“You okay, honey?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “I’m fine. I’m just…I’m really, really happy…like weirdly happy. I just needed to hear that you are too.”

Andy smiled. “I’ve never been happier,” he assured her.

“Good,” she snuggled into him. He was all she would ever need.


	54. Back Flips and Morphine (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by cometothedarkside-x on tumblr! :D  
> Dialogue Prompt: _"Come over here and make me!"_

April _hated_ phone calls like this. With a husband like Andy, she’d come to expect them every now and again. That didn’t make it any easier when the time came.

“Andy? Andy!” April pushed past a crowd of nurses as she made a beeline for her husband. She spotted him at the end of the hallway, waiting in a wheelchair with his leg propped up. He looked at her curiously, and she could tell from a distance he must have already been on some heavy pain meds.

“Honey?” he tilted his head in a childish way and smiled at her. “Where’d you come from?”

“Babe,” she panted, cupping his cheeks to press a kiss on his forehead. “what happened? I just got a call—the studio said you got hurt—“

“He’s okay, Ms. Ludgate,” a nurse told her. “He’s just a little—“

“His leg is in a cast,” April scowled at the woman. “Don’t tell me he’s okay if his leg is in a cast!”

The nurse stopped talking and nodded, going back to her business. From the look of it, she was getting the hospital bed ready for him while he waited.

“Baby, I feel great,” Andy said, pulling at her hand playfully. “I feel like I can do a backflip or something…”

“Andy,” she sighed and shook her head. “What happened to you?”

She’d only been at work for two hours when she’d gotten the call from the studio where Andy filmed Johnny Karate. The producer told her there had been an accident, but not to worry because Andy was safe. “Safe,” but not “unharmed,” and that thought sat in the pit of her stomach all the way to the hospital. From the look of it, his left leg was broken.

“Well, ma’am,” the nurse said kindly. “A backflip is exactly what got him here in the first place…”

“Andy!” April stared at him.

“What?” he looked around the room like he was missing something. “What’s wrong? Why’s everyone lookin’ at me like that?”

“The doctor will fill you in,” the nurse said. “His room is ready, so let’s get him settled. Come on, Mr. Dwyer—“

“Come over here and make me!” Andy yelled, wheeling himself at full-speed down the hall.

The nurse looked at April with her mouth open. April merely shook her head, shrugged, and took off to retrieve her husband.

 

As it turned out, Andy had attempted to do a backflip for his “Try Something New” segment of the show. A trampoline was involved, as well as some badly placed pillows, and then April was pretty sure how the rest of it went.

“Honey,” she said softly, combing her hand through his hair as he stared at her, dazed on morphine. “I know you probably have no idea what I’m saying right now, but listen to me.”

Andy nodded, smiling sleepily at her. “I love you, babe.”

“I love you too,” she rolled her eyes quickly. “But that’s not what I was gonna say.”

“Okay,” Andy nodded. Then he grinned again. “You’re so beautiful.”

“Andy,” April looked him in the eyes. “You can’t do stuff like that anymore, okay? You could have gotten seriously hurt.”

“I’m a superhero,” Andy said, shaking his head. “I can do anything.”

April looked up and asked the nurse, “How much morphine is my husband on?”

“A lot,” the woman replied without looking up from her chart.

“Fantastic,” April sighed. “Andy…no more backflips, okay? Understand?” She took his hands and gave them a little squeeze. “You can't be breaking any more bones.”

“Right,” Andy nodded slowly and winked at her, and for a minute April thought he finally understood. “So once the nurse leaves, we’re gonna do it. I get it.”

“Andy, no—“

“I mean, it’ll be hard with this cast on, but we can try…”

April took a deep breath and looked at her husband, while he stared back at her so earnestly she couldn't help but laugh. “Sure babe,” she shrugged. “When the nurse leaves, we’ll do it.”

“Score,” Andy pumped his fist.

She took a seat in the chair beside his bed and waited, because if she knew anything about pain killers, they knocked Andy out for hours. Sure enough, he was asleep within fifteen minutes.

She was married to the world’s biggest child, and still, she loved him more than anything.


	55. In Sickness and Health (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox and anonymously on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"You're trembling."_

_September 5, 2023_

It was a cold and rainy morning, and when Andy woke up he realized he was sweating. He wasn’t entirely surprised, because he sweat all the time. Too easily, actually…but this was different. His stomach was flush against April’s back, his arm draped over her like usual. It was chilly in their bedroom, the first week of September unnaturally cold for DC. So why was he sweating?

As he shifted, his hand brushed over April’s thigh. That’s when he realized that _he_ wasn’t the one sweating. She was.

He sat up a little, adjusting the blanket over them so he could run his palm along her arm and shoulder. Her skin was hot. She was damp, clammy to the touch, and she was shivering. His mind went to a million different places, none of them good. He pressed a gentle hand against her stomach, feeling for the telltale kick of their little “demon baby” to let him know things were okay. Sure enough, after feeling around for a minute or so, he felt the nudge right below her belly button and he sighed with relief.

“Honey?” he whispered, pressing his lips to her shoulder in gentle kisses.

“Mhm,” she groaned, rolling a little to the side. 

“April,” he said. “Babe, you feeling okay?”

Her eyes opened slowly and she smiled as she turned to face him. “Hi,” she yawned, shivering hard. “Why’s it so cold in here?”

“April, I think you’re sick,” he said, feeling her forehead. “I mean, I know I'm not a doctor but…you’re all sweaty and hot.”

“I can't be sick,” she grumbled. “I have a huge meeting today.” She sat up slowly, wrapping her arms around herself. “Oh my God, I’m freezing…”

“Honey, you’re definitely sick,” Andy said firmly. “You’re not going to work today.”

April looked at him nervously. “Andy, I can’t miss work! I have so much to do—“

“You’re trembling,” he said gently, wrapping his arms around her. Immediately, the shaking subsided against the warmth of his chest. “See? C’mon, I bet if I called your doctor she’d say the same thing. It’s not good for you or the baby.”

He knew she was fighting a losing argument. If one thing was certain, for as much as April complained about how much their baby was making her grouchy, tired, hungry and emotional, she would do anything to make sure she was taking care of herself and the life inside her. So, with a sigh and an exhausted groan, April nodded.

“What happens if I get fired?” she asked softly, as Andy helped her lie back down against the pillows.

“You won’t,” he kissed her ear. “I’m gonna call your boss.”

“Andy, no—“

“I will, and I’ll explain everything. And if they fire you for something like this, well, they’re the stupidest people in the whole world.”

April closed her eyes and smiled.

“I’m gonna take care of you, babe,” he said, hurrying to their closet and pulling out a spare blanket to drape over her. “I’m gonna get you some medicine, some chicken soup—that’s what you eat when you’re sick, right?” he looked at her quickly for confirmation.

“Uh-huh.”

“Awesome,” he nodded. “and we’re gonna stay in bed and cuddle all day.”

“Okay,” she whispered, already falling back to sleep. “Can we start the cuddling part now, though?” she added softly.

“Totally can,” he said, slipping back into bed beside her. April turned onto her other side so she could face him, shifting her legs to tangle with his.

“This is so much better,” she breathed, tucking her head beneath his chin.

Andy stroked her hair slowly. He lived for this, for taking care of her. Protecting her and keeping her safe came second nature to him. Sickness was no exception to the rule.

“Try to relax, okay?” he said. “You don’t have to worry babe. I’m gonna take care of you.”

“I’m not worried,” she whispered.

She would never have to be…not for as long as he lived.


	56. A Long Time (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy and April are finally together again for good after a long time apart while Andy was off working in London.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by puzzlingsnark on tumblr :)  
> Prompt: _"I've been waiting a long time."_

_“I’ve been waiting a long time…”_

The words came out in a whisper against April’s neck, and it seemed Andy was speaking more to himself than to her. Indeed, it had been too long since she’d felt his body pressed up against hers, and from the moment she’d jumped into his arms at the airport she realized how much she’d needed him…how much they needed each other, to be fair. London was far away, and with Andy gone for all those months it had felt even farther.

“I missed you,” he practically groans against her, kissing down her chest while his hands explore her every angle and curve. “Not having you with me sucked.” He carefully unzips her dress and tugs it down her body, featherlight touches of fingertips trailing along her skin.

“I know,” she breathes, gripping his shoulders. She leans up to suck on his neck a little, and he’s sweaty like always but she doesn’t care. She feels his huge hand working the clasp of her bra, until that pressure is released and the little black and red piece falls from her body until she’s bare from the top down.

Andy’s lost in her for a moment before he ducks his head down and buries his face between her breasts, kissing the soft flesh there for a while as April runs her fingers through his hair. Honestly, as much as she needs to feel him inside her in every damn way in that moment, this is incredibly nice too. She could stay like this for hours and she’d be happy. Right now though, her body craved way more. She arches up against him in a meager thrust of hips and she can feel him clearly against the fabric of his jeans, already hard from a few quick over-the-pants strokes.

“Babe,” she interrupts his little presses of lips against the side of her breast, and Andy looks up at her with possibly the softest eyes she’s ever seen. His stare says a million things at once, and it nearly melts her.

“Yeah?” he whispers.

April gestures with her hands, asking him to move up her body while her feet rub the back of his thighs. Andy takes the hint, and with a little maneuvering, he unzips his jeans and kicks them to the floor. Then he sheds his boxers, and when April gets a glimpse of him, thick and hot and ready for her, she nearly loses it.

“C’mon,” she breathes.

Andy smiles and climbs on top of her, immediately lining himself up at her entrance. By now the anticipation is killing her, and she just needs him to fuck her without thinking twice. But Andy takes his time, and rightly so. He’s waited just as long as she has.

He leans in and kisses her mouth, opening up to welcome her tongue against his. She wraps her arms around his neck and holds on, desperately trying to pull him closer, but Andy’s propped up on his arms on either side of her, and she couldn’t move those muscles if she tried.

He breaks away for a minute, his mouth an inch above hers. “I love you so much,” he breathes heavily. “I never want to be away from you like that again.” Then he thrusts into her, and April sees stars.

“Oh my God,” she moans, and for a moment her body goes limp. Andy stays still inside her for a moment, enjoying the sensation of her pussy wrapped around him. He continues his desperate kisses along her neck, biting here and there with teeth, nuzzling with his nose when he wants to be soft, all working her up into a frenzy and he’s barely even moved yet. “Babe,” she’s never breathed so hard in her life. “Please…” The waiting is driving her crazy, but it’s somehow okay. Every sensation she knows is pulled like a magnetic force to where they’re joined, and suddenly the heavy weight of him inside her is everything.

Andy continues to stare at her with that soft gaze, and then he starts to move. Not fast at all, only a slow rocking motion. He barely pulls out of her before he shifts back in, and the only time he breaks that stare is when he resumes kissing her neck.

It’s in those short little thrusts that April starts to feel that warm pressure pooling just below her belly button. The buzzing inside her grows, and she can’t help herself when she reaches a hand down between them to rub at her clit.

Andy picks up some speed, but not much, and by now April’s so close she feels herself getting dizzy. He cups her breast, runs his thumb over her nipple, and his thrusts become harder. April opens her mouth in a low moan, that building pleasure finally breaking and washing over her, making her shake. She can feel herself getting tight around him, can feel him thrust deeper in response to her body reacting to his own, and she closes her eyes tight because she feels like she just might pass out if she doesn’t. He keeps up his movements, his pace firm and near-frantic now, until she can feel his muscles tense and tighten, and he empties into her with a few more pumps of his hips and a deep growl from within his chest, slowing down until he’s gasping for air above her.

Then it’s all over, and April’s limp against the mattress once more. She feels warm, full of him in all the literal sense of the phrase. When she opens her eyes, Andy is smiling down at her.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he groans, and after one final weak thrust, he pulls out and rolls down beside her, gently tugging her body against his.

April molds to him instantly, burying her face in his chest. “I love you,” she whispers, breathing in and out like she’s never tasted air before.

Andy kisses her jaw, her cheek, then her lips. “Love you too. Missed you.”

Then they drift off to sleep…exhausted, warm, lost in the security of the other’s embrace, and safe in the knowledge that they’d never be apart like that again.


	57. Everything (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set sometime during the events of S4E6: "End of the World"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the amazing meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :)  
> Location Prompt: _"Gas station"_

April waits for the tank to fill, her eyes as hazy as the clouds drifting over the setting yellow sun. She care barely keep her head up at this point, and when Andy returns from the little service station with snacks and hopefully some coffee, she’ll remind him that it’s his turn to drive.

The immensity of their decision weighs heavily on her now, almost as though she just realized that they were really going to make the thirty-six hour drive to one of the most beautiful places in the world, all because her lovable husband had a dream.

There was no one else in the world who she’d do this for. The fact was undebatable. Still, that old, gnawing worry started to eat away at her the moment they’d parked the car, and with it came the nerves rattling her to the core.

Maybe this wasn’t a good idea after all? Maybe they were wasting what little savings they had on a nothing more than a whim, all to do something stupid with no planning whatsoever. Then again, that’s how their entire relationship has been so far…no planning, just doing, and it seems to have worked out for them.

The gas pump clicks with a tiny noise, and April’s hand is frozen on the handle. She starts to shake slightly, her breaths get heavier and quicker, and she’s just about to feel the imminent panic attack take over when she feels two strong, heavy arms wrap around her from behind. Instantly, it’s like aloe to a burn, and she feels fine. She feels safe.

“You okay babe?” Andy turns her in his arms and pulls her into a hug. “You looked a little upset.”

April holds him tight, burying her face in his shirt, her breathing returned to normal, grateful for everything this giant goofball of a husband has ever given her and continues to give her every damn day.

“I’m fine,” she whispers, nodding against him.

“You ready to switch?” he asks, brushing some hair away from her face and behind her ear. “You’re tired…you need a break from driving.”

“Yeah,” she yawns wide. “Thanks.”

“For what?” he asks, opening her car door for her.

She looks at him and smiles. “Everything.”


	58. Coffee Kisses (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"You're too damn cute."_

To Andy Dwyer, every single morning with his wife was amazing. Every second he got to spend with her was magical, no matter how they were spending it. So, something as simple as waking up wrapped around her, his face buried in her hair and legs tangled in hers was the best feeling in the world.

He stretched, opening his eyes a little to adjust to the sunlight. April groaned, eyes still closed, curling closer against him. He pulled the blanket higher over her bare back and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

There was nothing like the weekend. April was home with him all day, and they were able to stay in bed all morning like this, eat breakfast as late as they wanted—or in some cases, lunch as early as they wanted—only to fall back into bed together and nap the rest of the day away. Now though, Andy was particularly hungry. Not to mention, he thought to himself, these days April was too.

She was still pretty exhausted, so Andy carefully slipped out from under her grip and got up to search for some clothes. Her hand slipped from his arm and automatically reached out for him in her sleep, before she rolled back onto her other side with a soft sigh. If he hurried, he’d make it back before she even woke up.

 

It only took a half hour. Balancing the takeout breakfast containers in one hand and two coffees in the other, Andy tossed his keys on the counter and hurriedly snuck back into their room. As he predicted, April was still asleep.

He poured the coffees into two mugs, April’s black and decaf, and his filled with so much cream and sugar it didn’t even necessarily count as coffee any longer, he shrugged out of his clothes, and slipped back into bed beside her.

April rolled over when she felt the weight shift around her. She opened her eyes, smiling when she saw him. “Hey,” she yawned, reaching out to cup his cheek.

“Morning,” he leaned in to kiss her.

April scrunched her nose up and smiled. “Dude, why do you smell like waffles?”

“Ah,” Andy said knowingly. Her sense of smell had gotten weirdly specific too. “Well, that’s because I brought you a surprise.” He gestured to the nightstand where her coffee and food sat waiting. “You were still sleeping so—“

April pulled him down against her and silenced him with another kiss, smiling against his lips. Andy forgot what he was going to say anyway, lost in that stare that only _he_ had the privilege of seeing.

“Thank you,” she whispered, once they’d finally broken apart.

“You’re welcome,” he grinned.

He watched as April started to eat, eagerly diving into everything he’d brought for her. She saw him staring and made a face.

“What?” she stared back.

“Nothing babe," he shrugged. “You’re just so damn cute.”

“Cute?” she pushed the food aside and slid into his lap. “That’s it? Just cute?”

“Cute…hot…sexy,” Andy said immediately, placing large hands on her thighs.

“A little better,” she tilted her head. “I can’t help it if your kid likes to eat,” she added.

Andy glanced down at her belly, the tiniest bump visible against her skin. He brushed one of his hands against it and smiled. “You know how super happy I am, right?”

“I know,” she nodded.

“Our kid’s gonna be awesome,” he said excitedly. “The coolest, cutest, most amazing kid ever.”

“Duh,” she rolled her eyes, and Andy couldn’t help it when he leaned in to kiss her again. The rest of the food would have to wait.


	59. Making it Work (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Your eyes are red...were you crying?"_

“Your eyes are red. Are you crying, honey?”

April turned around quickly. She’d been halfway through packing her things to take back to the States while Andy talked with Ben on the phone about all the things he would need to do before officially starting his London job.

She encouraged this. She was the one who told him to go for it. _He needed it,_ she kept telling herself. It was going to be good for him.

_Then why do you feel so terrible?_

“Babe…”

She felt his hand on her arm and she hastily wiped her eyes. “It’s nothing Andy,” she said quickly. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine, though,” he said, looking concerned.

He was always worried about her, even when he should be excited about something so amazing. He was so selfless, and she was the selfish one.

“It’s fine,” she smiled at him, forcing her mouth into the unnatural pose. “What did Ben say?”

Andy stared at her silently, before he said in a very soft voice, “I’m not gonna stay. I wanna come home with you guys tomorrow.”

“What?” she shook her head. “Come on, don’t be stupid. You have to stay. This is an amazing opportunity, we already talked about this.”

“No, I don’t have to,” he said simply. “C’mon, let’s pack up my stuff—“

“Andy,” she grabbed him by the arms, feeling his new muscles through the long sleeves of the dressy shirt he still hadn’t changed out of. New body, new job…it was almost like her old Andy was slipping away completely. She tried not to think of it like that. “I’m fine.”

“Are…you sure?”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded.

Andy pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head. She took a deep, calming breath, memorizing every bit of his scent that she could. She had to remember that they’d done this before. Long distance was no match for them as a couple, and they’d once again prove it.

“Love you,” he whispered.

“Love you too,” she responded immediately.

They’d be okay, even if she had to tell herself every damn day. _She’d_ be okay.

“I think that’s enough packing for now, babe,” Andy said after a while. “Okay? Let’s do something more fun.”

“Yeah,” she chuckled, wiping at her eyes once more, “good plan.”

“Wanna go see the bearded lady again?” he said excitedly, his eyes lighting up. “I promise I won’t make her mad this time.”

“Andy, I don’t know how to tell you this, but that was a tourist.”

“Wha—?”

“A lady tourist with a lot of facial hair,” April added.

“Wow,” Andy looked amazed.

“C’mon,” April pulled him by the hand. “I just want to spend as much time with you as possible. I don’t care how we spend it.”


	60. Daydreaming (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place right after Andy walks away from April at the end of S3E1: "Go Big or Go Home"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by peppermint818 on tumblr :)  
> Prompt: _"Early season 3 April begrudgingly fantasizing about Andy"_

The arm around her may not have been Andy’s, but that didn’t stop April from watching him walk away with that ridiculous slicked back hair and little flower tucked into his shoeshine apron. He looked back over his shoulder once, almost as though he was expecting her to follow him, before turning back and disappearing through the door.

With a sigh, April started to clean the many flowers off her desk, tossing bouquet after bouquet into the trash.

“You’re not keeping those?” Donna walked through the same door Andy had just walked out of.

“No,” April muttered.

“Mind if I take a few?”

“Be my guest,” April shrugged, reaching for her purse.

Why couldn’t Andy just take the hint? Why did he need to be so persistent? She’d have thought that ignoring his hundreds of texts and calls while she was out of the country would have been enough. The minute he’d seen her, it was as though everything that had happened in the last three months was no big deal.

Eduardo looked at her. “Por qué sigue intentando llamar tu atención?”

“What did he say?” Donna asked, curious.

April rolled her eyes. “He asked why Andy keeps trying to get my attention.”

“You mean he can’t tell that Andy is obsessed with you?” Donna laughed. “Wow…”

“Andy had his chance, okay?” April shouldered her purse, tossing the last of the flowers into the trash. “He blew it. I’m done with him.”

“Whatever you say,” the other woman gathered her things to leave, three bouquets in her arms. “I wish I had a man who would do all this for me. If Andy wasn’t so obviously into you, I’d snatch him up for myself.” She walked away, leaving April and Eduardo to themselves.

So obviously into her? If he was so into her, he wouldn’t have kissed Ann in the first place.

“C’mon,” April said, smiling at Eduardo. “Let’s go.”

 

That night, Andy was in her dreams. He stood by her desk and kept handing her flowers, one after the other, seemingly pulling them out of no where until she had a large pile of them on top of her desk. He still had that silly, styled hair that he’d had that afternoon, but now he was shirtless in nothing but pants and shoes.

“Leave me alone,” she said, finding it difficult to take her eyes off him. “I don’t care about you.”

“But I care about you,” he said, his voice far away and echo-like. “I missed you so much while you were gone.”

She stood, walking over to him in a Parks office that was slowly morphing into her bedroom at home. She came close enough so she was right in front of him, staring up at him, wrapping her arms around him. He was warm, his body soft and hard all at once. He pulled her against him, his two big hands easily fitting around her waist until he lifted her like she weighed nothing.

She wrapped her legs around him and leaned down to kiss his lips. His hand slowly slid under her shirt, traveling up until his large palms cupped her breast. She groaned softly against his mouth, curling her fingers in his hair…

April’s eyes shot open and she sat up in bed.

_Fuck._

 

Andy was in the Parks office when she arrived that morning. He was casually chatting with Tom, throwing her the occasional glance as she sat down at her desk completely ignoring him. Her phone rang. She picked it up and slammed it back down, in no mood to talk to anyone at all.

“Morning,” he finally said, walking over to her.

“Go away,” she responded without looking at him.

“I brought you coffee.”

“I don’t want it.”

Andy looked a little disappointed, but placed it on her desk anyway before walking away. When his back was turned, April watched him go.

Okay, maybe she dreamed about him. And maybe she occasionally thought about that kiss they shared in the hospital, how perfect his lips felt against hers, how her skin burned when his hand brushed against her cheek. Maybe on more than one occasion she thought about those hands holding her and touching her the way they did in her dream. It still didn’t change what he did.

 

_His shoulders were so broad._

She ran her fingers up and down the pale skin there, before bringing her mouth down to bite softly into the hard muscle of where his upper arm met his shoulder.

Andy stared down at her with soft eyes, the slightest smile on his lips before he kissed her neck, making her shiver. The dream shifted, and they were lying on her bed.

_No, no no…_

She woke up again, her chest heaving.

This had to stop. She couldn’t do this every night. It was too much.

 

Eduardo was gone. She’d finally had enough of him, and when he realized there was no reason for him to stay in Pawnee, he was on the first plane back to Venezuela.

Not to mention, it didn’t help that he and Andy had become such good buddies in the span of twenty-four hours. April realized that _that_ annoyed her most of all.

She came to work the day after that stupid movie in the Park tired and grouchier than ever. Andy was already waiting for her in the Parks Office, holding a paper bag and tossing a baseball up in the air over and over. When he saw her, his eyes lit up and he bounded over like a large dog.

“Morning April!” he said brightly. “Check out what I found in the parking lot this morning!” he held out the baseball proudly.

“Wow, awesome,” she said sarcastically.

“I know!” he said, oblivious. “Oh here,” he placed the paper bag on her desk, “veggie muffin.”

April stared at it, struggling with the choice to eat it—because she didn’t have breakfast and she was actually starving—or throw it in the trash. For now, she decided to ignore it and see how she felt once he left.

“Listen, um…I know you’re still mad at me and stuff—“

“Andy, not now,” she sighed. “I have to work.”

“Just give me another chance,” he begged. “Please.”

“Andy!” Leslie burst into the office and hurried over to him, looking a bit frantic. “You know there’s a line at the shoeshine stand? What’re you doing?”

“Oh, sorry Leslie,” he said, turning away from April. “I’ll get back there, I was just talking to April real quick.” He glanced at her once more. “Just remember what I said, okay?”

She watched him go. She had to stop thinking about him. She needed to move on, and move on fast.

It would be nice if her dreams felt the same way.


	61. So Turned On (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place right after April's public forum in S5E12. Andy is just in complete awe of his wife, but what else is new? ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by cometothedarkside-x on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"I don't even know who I am without you."_

Andy waited until the very last dim-witted townsperson had left that gross, filthy church basement. They all shuffled out slowly, one after the other signing April’s clip board. That creepy stoner Harris even tried to throw her a glance, but a harsh stare from Andy made him turn away quickly without another look back.

He was getting impatient. A much as he was thrilled for April, he wanted nothing more than to be alone with her. Maybe there was something about how she handled herself during the meeting—wait, now that he thought about it, that’s exactly that it was. His wife was amazing. She was beautiful. She was tough. She was powerful. God, he needed her.

Then, finally, they were alone.

“Oh my God, babe,” April lifted the clipboard and smiled. “I can’t believe we—“

Andy didn’t let her finish. He scooped her up into his arms, hoisting her legs around his waist, and kissed her with all the ferocity in the world. She was caught off guard for only a moment before he could feel her smile against his lips and curl her fingers in his hair.

Minutes later when they finally broke apart, April took a deep breath. “What was that for?” Her eyes were lidded and lips an inch away from his. He could feel her deep breaths brushing across his face and her heart pounding against her chest.

“I’m so incredibly proud of you,” he said immediately. “And you looked stupid hot up there.”

April smiled, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks, and they resumed their position from before. If it was up to Andy, he’d shove everything off this rickety table and fuck his beautiful, hot, sexy wife right then. Something told him maybe that wasn’t the best idea though…Leslie was waiting for them and someone might see. That could cost April the entire meeting, and it would be his fault. They’d have to wait. Now he was even more eager to get her home.

“Thank you for helping me,” she whispered, slowly pulling away and sliding down his body until her feet hit the ground. “I don’t think I could’ve done this without you, babe.”

“Yeah you could have,” Andy said, resting his hands on her shoulders. “You can do anything you want, without me.”

“I can’t believe we got all those signatures,” she said, her grin spreading.

“I can,” Andy said. “Like I said, you’re incredible.”

April hugged him, wrapping her thin arms around his waist, clasping them around his back. She breathed in slowly. “Sometimes I don’t even know who I am without you,” she whispered.

“What d’you mean?” Sometimes Andy couldn’t understand why April couldn’t see how awesome she was. She was the most amazing person in the world, and he knew it every damn day. She’d never stop being perfect. He wished she felt the same way.  


“I just…” she sighed. “Never mind. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he pulled her in tighter. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she gave him that shy April smile.

“C’mon,” he said, taking her hand. “Let’s finish up here and get home.”

“Okay, but…why the rush?” April chuckled.

“Babe,” Andy shook his head. “I don’t think you realize how turned on I am right now.”

“Well,” she bit her lip, and the blood rushing through Andy’s limbs took a sharp turn south, “better hurry up, then.” She pulled him forward with renewed speed, taking the lead. “First things first, though,” she said. “We have to burn that horrible pant suit.”


	62. Skype Sucks (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who wants to Skype when you'd rather have the real thing?

“I miss you…”

April stares at the screen, Andy’s face so close but still thousands of miles away. It takes all her will power not to cry right then, alone in their bed on Saturday morning and chatting with her husband.

She shifts her legs against the sheets, the air cool over her naked body. She hadn’t bothered to get dressed after the Skype sex session. There honestly wasn’t any need. Lately, when Leslie didn’t need her help with the efforts to win the recall election, April tended to stay in bed all day.

“I miss you too,” Andy says, and as he scoots back on his bed April can tell he’s still got his hand around his dick, stroking slowly. His face is red and exerted, and he’s breathing hard. “God,” he coughs. “I hate it here without you.”

“I want you to come home, babe,” she whispers. “You’ve been gone so fucking long…”

“Few more weeks,” he says, and she can see the way he tries to smile. It makes her miss him even more, if that’s possible.

“Skype sex sucks,” she grunts. “I wanna feel you. Not these stupid toys,” she shoves the vibrator she’d been using barely a moment ago onto the floor in her frustration. “I miss holding you at night and falling asleep against you.”

“I know baby,” he says, trying to comfort her.

“It’s fucking…ugh…I hate it so much.” Her words trail off, and suddenly she feels like a petulant child, whining because she can’t have her way. Andy was doing something worthwhile, and she needed to stop being selfish.

Andy doesn’t take his eyes off her body. They dart back and forth to her face, and she can see the thin layer of desire etched there. Desire and longing and sadness, all rolled into one.

“Just wait until I come home,” he says slowly, grinning. “We’re gonna spend every minute together. We’re not gonna get out of bed. We’re gonna order so much take out and ice cream and literally fuck until we can’t move.” His hand is moving again, and April feels a dull heat between her legs and shifts onto her back.

“Yeah?” she breathes. “What else?”

“I’m gonna kiss every inch of your skin,” he says, and his voice is low and gravelly. “I’m gonna make you scream my name with my face between your legs. I wanna feel you shiver underneath me, and get all tight like you do when you come.”

By now, April’s already started working herself again, the fingers on her right hand rubbing her clit while her left squeezes her breast. She doesn’t look much at the camera now, too lost in herself and Andy’s words, but the few times she does glance over she can see the screen shaking on his end as he pumps his dick.

“God April,” he moans loud, the sweat beading on his forehead. Andy always had an amazing sex drive, and even more so since he’d gotten so thin, but even now she’s shocked he can be up for round two so quickly. “You’re so fucking gorgeous. I wanna feel you underneath me so fucking bad—“

“Fuck,” she whines, and she can feel her heart pounding, the migraine roaring to life in her brain. “Andy…” She loses herself then, shaking uncontrollably around her fingers as she comes, crying out because there was no one else to hear her and it didn’t matter how loud she was. When it’s over, she’s incredibly exhausted. Her eyes can barely stay open.

Andy’s at his brink as well. With a hard growl, he closes his eyes before his mouth gets all tight. April knows he came because she can just tell, and then his movements still and the camera stops shaking altogether. It’s silent, save for their heavy breathing. Then, finally, Andy speaks up.

“Just…just wait until I’m back home with you, April,” he smiles lazily, facing the camera again. “Just wait…”

“I love you,” she whispers, turning back onto her side to face him properly.

“I love you too.”

April isn’t sure when they fall asleep, but the screen stays open between them. For a minute, it feels like he’s there with her. One glorious minute, and maybe that was all she needed to feel secure.


	63. Trick or Treat (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first drabble of Fictober 2017!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _“TRICK OR TREAT!” “You live here.” “It was worth a go.”_

There was a finally a lull after the heavy rush of trick or treaters in the little DC suburb where the Ludgate-Dwyers lived. April was relieved, but not because she didn’t like passing out candy. It was just nice to take a break after a while. Quite honestly, putting on a smile and commenting on every single kid who came to the door’s costume was weighing on her.

She took the little pillbox hat that she donned whenever she was playing the role of Janet Snakehole and tossed it onto the counter. Now that she came to think of it, it was actually really quiet. Almost too quiet.

“Andy?” she called, once she realized it had been at least ten minutes since he’d disappeared into the basement with the promise that he’d be right back.

There was no answer. April frowned.

“Where did he go?” She glanced at Champion, almost as though the three-legged dog snoozing contentedly in his bed would give her the answer she was seeking. Instead, he lifted his head and wagged his tail at his mom. “Where’s dad, Champion?”

Before she bothered to actually go look for him, unease creeping up her spine, the doorbell rang again. April straightened up and grabbed the bowl of candy, which was very low at this point, and headed for the door. Putting on her best ice cold glare to get back into character, she swung the door open dramatically.

Her eyes went wide and she nearly dropped the bowl. Standing in front of her was her husband, very obviously hidden beneath several rolls of toilet paper in a haphazard attempt at a mummy costume.

“Trick or treat,” he said, his voice muffled by the material.

“Andy,” April had to stop her self from laughing. “Dude…what the hell is this? You live here!”

Andy sighed and stepped into the house, pulling the thin ribbons of toilet paper off his face. He looked a little embarrassed, but there was still that same mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Well,” he shrugged. “It was worth a try.”

“Babe,” April shook her head, “you are without a doubt the most ridiculous person alive right now.”

“Yeah?” Now Andy looked a little disappointed, and April quickly finished.

“Yeah,” she nodded. “But seriously, I love you so much.”

Andy’s face lit up as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against his chest.

She was married to the biggest child in the world, and she absolutely wouldn’t have it any other way.


	64. Scary Movies and Big Sweatshirts (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy thought he knew everything about his wife. Turns out, there's one thing he got completely wrong. 
> 
> Fictober 2017

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"Person a and person b are watching a horror movie, but person a is terrified of horror movies._

Really, Andy should have picked up on this sooner.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to accurately read his wife. He was absolutely awesome at that, actually. It’s just that April loved everything about Halloween. _Everything._ Or so Andy thought. 

It was the night before Halloween, or _Halloween Eve_ as Andy preferred to call it. It was extra special, because it was their first Halloween as a married couple and everything needed to be perfect. The pizza was set on the coffee table, the beers were cracked open, and April had just unrolled the massive knitted quilt to drape over the two of them as they settled together on the couch.

“What’re we watching?” she asked, pulling the hood of his maroon hoodie—which she was currently borrowing—up over her head. He loved when she wore his clothes. He loved the way she swam in them because she was so damn tiny.

“Ah, I’m glad you asked, honey,” he said proudly, pulling out the DVD and showing it to her. “Just came out at the Pawnee video store. It’s called _‘Blood Burst: The Reckoning,’”_ he grinned.

April stared at the box uneasily and bit her lip, before her eyes darted up to his. “Oh…”

“What’s wrong?” His face fell. “You don’t like it?”

“No, it’s fine,” she shook her head and smiled. “I’m—it’s—nothing. Let’s put it on.”

“Sweet,” he pumped his fist. “I promise, it’s gonna be awesome.”

It didn’t take long to realize that his selection was, without a doubt, one of the most cringe-inducing, violently gross, stomach churning horror movies he’d ever seen.

Throughout the course of the first half hour, April had already inched as close as she possibly could. She even went so far as to wrap her hand around his wrist and hide her face in his side at one particularly nauseating scene involving a doomed couple, a chainsaw, and a meat grinder.

“Babe,” Andy whispered, without taking his eyes off the screen, “are you okay?” He could feel her breathing quickly next to him.

“Uh-huh,” she said, her voice unnaturally high-pitched. “Yup, all fine…”

A jump scare made the both of them scream. This time, April hid completely against his chest and shook her head. Andy was so caught off guard that he had to pause the movie, barely able to reach around for the remote because of how hard she was gripping him. When she slid into his lap, only then did he realize that his wife was absolutely petrified.

“Baby,” he chuckled. “April! It’s okay! Oh my God, you’re terrified.”

“Shut up!” she smacked his side. “I am not!”

“You are,” he laughed, before quickly stopping. “Honey, I’m sorry,” he stroked the back of her head. “If I knew you didn’t like scary movies—“

“Andy, this isn’t scary, okay? I _like_ scary. _This_ is just nauseating. There’s a huge difference.”

“We don’t have to finish it if you don’t wanna,” he shrugged. “Okay?”

April broke away from him and looked up to meet his stare. He was smiling, he couldn’t help it. She was so damn adorable in her terror, he wanted to scoop her up and hug her and hold her for hours.

“Okay,” she whispered, rolling her eyes to deflect her terror.

“Okay,” Andy nodded, turning it off. “C’mon, I’ll just put on _‘Death Canoe VII’_ or something.”

“No, the sixth one’s better,” she suggested, sliding back into her spot but still cuddling closely against him.

“Whatever you want, babe,” he said sweetly.

There were so many things he’d learned about April since they started dating and even more once they got married, but this was by far one of his favorites. If it meant he could hold her and keep her safe like this when she was scared, then he was all for it. After all, he promised he’d protect her from everything. Scary movies were definitely included.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea if there really is a movie out there called _"Blood Burst: The Reckoning"_ and I literally just thought of a few words that might sound creepy together. :P


	65. Hot and Creepy (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fictober 2017

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the wonderful anotheropti on tumblr! :D  
> Prompt: _“I can see you creeping up on me in the mirror.”_

“I can see you creeping up on me in the mirror.”

April shook her head as her husband let out a loud and frustrated groan, pulling the creepy mask he’d been wearing only a second earlier off his head. His plan foiled, he hurried forward and took to massaging her shoulders instead.

“Andy,” April laughed playfully, batting away his hands that tried to snake their way around her waist as she sat at the dining room table. “Babe, I’m swamped.”

“Honey,” he whined, drawing out the word. “C’mon, it’s finally Halloween! It’s your favorite day of the year and you’re working!” He pouted, slumping down to the floor beside her chair and spreading out on the rug.

April grinned, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “If you want me to be able to work at home sometimes, you’ve gotta let me actually work.”

“Who’d have thought that April Ludgate-Dwyer would put work over fun,” Andy said, making sure to stress her name. “On _Halloween,_ no less…”

Well, he had a point. April groaned, realizing how much she hated the words he spoke because of how true they were.

“Honey,” she slid out of her chair to lay down on the rug beside him, pushing her glasses up onto her head, “I want to finish up as much as you do. I want to get dressed up and hand out candy and make creepy prank phone calls to people we can’t stand. But I have to finish this project. Then I promise I’ll be yours all night, okay?”

Andy looked at her and sighed. She knew he understood, but it still sucked. “Yeah,” he nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay,” April leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before returning to her work. She could hear Andy get up behind her, his heavy, lumbering movements clumsy as he made his way into the living room. She could see his reflection in the same mirror as he walked away. His shoulders were slumped.

“Fine…” he breathed out slowly, nodding.

April sighed and bit her lip. Fuck it. Her work could wait. She grabbed the mask Andy had tossed onto the floor and quickly put it on.

 

Andy was halfway up the stairs when he heard rapid, light footsteps behind him. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, he heard a shrill shriek as someone jumped up onto his back, wrapping their legs around his waist and locking arms around his neck.

“What—what’s happening?” he stumbled a bit, trying to turn his head around right before he heard April laugh against his ear. “Babe! Oh my God, that was amazing!”

“Did I scare you?” she asked, pulling the sweaty mask off.

Andy secured her piggyback grip on him by holding onto the underside of her thighs. “You absolutely did. It was awesome!”

“Good,” she nibbled his ear. “That’s what I was going for.”

“What about work?” he asked, as his composure gave way to the amazing pressure of her teeth.

“It’s Halloween,” she said. “You’re right. Today isn’t about work.”

Andy tilted his head back so he could reach her lips, pulling her in for a deep kiss. When they broke apart, she stared at him, breathless.

“I love you so much,” he said, because what else was there to say to the most beautiful and amazing wife in the world?

“Love you too,” she said. “We still have those blood capsules?”

“Duh,” Andy said.

“Good,” April said. “Let’s break ‘em open and take a blood bath in the tub.”

“Baby,” Andy said, his brain glazed over in wonderment at the possibilities of the rest of the day, “you’re so fucking hot when you’re creepy.”


	66. The Most Awesome Distraction (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :D  
> Prompt: _"Distracting kiss"_

Few things were as awesome as having April Ludgate as your girlfriend. Andy considered himself the luckiest guy in Pawnee, probably the world, possibly the galaxy. The past two weeks had been the best of his life and they only kept getting better. Now, his super hot girlfriend sat in his lap on the couch as they played video games, and quite frankly, Andy had never felt so awesome. 

“Dude,” April said, clicking the buttons on the controller with such ferocity Andy was concerned she might break it. “Stop shooting at me!”

“You’re the enemy,” Andy said knowingly, maneuvering his own controller with the expertise one would only expect from a seasoned gamer. “I can’t show you mercy, even if we are dating in real life...which is super awesome by the way.”

“Your own girlfriend,” April sighed dramatically, watching as her video game character crashed and burned in a fiery explosion.

“Defeat!” Andy yelled triumphantly, pumping both fists in the air. “Yes!” Then, quickly, “Sorry babe…”

“Round two,” April said immediately. “You and me, right now.”

“Okay,” Andy shrugged. “If you wanna be humiliatingly defeated again, be my guest.”

“We’ll see,” April grinned. 

The game started for a second time. Andy grinned, ready to rein triumphant once again. Then April pulled a power play of her own, catching him completely off guard. 

Without taking her eyes off the screen, she leaned over and planted the softest kiss on his cheek. It was quick, simple and totally unexpected, and for a moment Andy forgot where he was or what he was doing. He didn’t even seem to notice his player exploding into a fireball. 

“Yes!” April cheered, now pumping her own fists in the air. Andy was too busy rubbing the spot she’d kissed to even notice. 

“Wow,” he said softly. “Nicely played, Ludgate.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, turning in his lap to kiss him properly. 

Andy tossed his controller aside, responding eagerly. Game or not, he was winning in the best way.


	67. "Making Twins" (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as pregnant and super *ahem* _horny_ April...and Andy is absolutely into it. ;)

It didn’t take long for April to realize just how much her body was going to change when she got pregnant. She’d expected it to be some sort of gradual thing...like she would take the test and then over the course of several weeks she’d see the changes as her little demon child grew inside her. She figured she would still feel like herself, except now she was living for two. 

She wasn’t expecting this, though. 

After a rough first trimester filled with puking, exhaustion, sore boobs and all around grumpiness, she eased into her second with a new wave of energy. It not only shocked her, but Andy as well, who’d grown quite used to her nauseous, grouchy, emotionally unstable persona. Now, she was eating again without the threat of running to the toilet from a disagreeable smell. She could watch something on TV without erupting into a pile of tears over the slightest thing. Now, Andy could touch her and she didn’t want to cut his hand off. 

In fact, it was quite the opposite. She wanted to push him onto the floor and fuck him every chance she got.

“Andy,” she whined over the phone, laying on her side in bed with a pillow under her ballooned stomach, “come home.”

“Baby, I’ve still got one more Johnny Karate show to do,” he chuckled, and she could hear him shuffling around on his end.

“I need you,” she said petulantly.

“Give me two hours,” he said. “I’ll be home soon.”

“Ugh,” she rolled her eyes. “Fine.” Honestly the only thing that could contain her was the fact that she had his return to look forward to.

It was insane. Her sex drive had shot through the roof. One day she woke up, and she’d never felt more turned on by the sight of her husband sleeping beside her, morning erection digging into her back. Without waiting for him to be fully awake, she’d straddled him—to his drowsy delight—and it seemed as though from that moment on, her appetite couldn’t be sated.

Of course Andy was thrilled. After weeks of the opposite, April wanting sex like four times a day (or more) was a dream come true for him. Of course, he wouldn’t be her loving husband if he didn’t worry a bit here and there. That worrying was also a turn on, she realized quickly enough. 

“The doctor said it’s totally normal,” she told Andy that night, as they both relaxed in the bathtub after a long, tiring day. “She said it’s like, safe and everything and the baby can’t feel it.” She sat between his legs, her back against his chest. At the base of her spine, she could feel him half-hard and digging into her. 

“Ya sure?” Andy asked, rubbing her ballooned stomach as it barely showed above the water’s surface. “I don’t wanna hurt him…or her. Or twins...”

“Honey,” April said patiently, “we’ve already gone over this. There’s only one baby in there.”

“Wishful thinking,” he chuckled. 

“Anyway,” she shrugged. “It’s fine...mmh, keep doing that.”

Andy kissed from her shoulder to her neck in measured little pecks of lips. April sighed, legs shifting beneath the surface of the water from the combination of his scratchy facial hair, soft mouth, and tiny grunts of pleasure. God, her husband was so fucking hot...

Not to mention, something changed within Andy as well. Maybe it was some sort of primitive instinct within him, but he never seemed more attracted to her than he was now. The sight of her naked body drove him wild. He always found her beautiful, but the subtle changes were just an added bonus. Her breasts were bigger and rounder. Her curves were more pronounced than ever, and her hips had widened just the slightest bit. He was constantly touching her belly, and she thought it would annoy her but it never did. Not once. All of it, all the changes physically and emotionally, had him coveting her like some sort of wild animal, and it only heightened her already intense desire for him.

“I’ve got an idea,” he mumbled against the back of her ear. 

“Hmm?” April leaned back into him. “It better involve the two of us and our bed...or even this tub is fine.”

Andy stood, helping April up ever so carefully before he stepped out of the tub and lifted her into his arms. Water dripped everywhere, but they both couldn’t have cared less. Right now, the feeling of wet skin against wet skin was enough to make April breathe heavily, all the blood in her system rushing to her center. She rubbed her fingertips against his chest, twirling the wet hair there. Even that was driving her wild...

“Let’s see if we can make twins,” he grinned, walking them to the bedroom. 

April laughed out loud. Yes, Andy could be a little thick sometimes...but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “Lets do it,” she nodded.

 

“Even if we didn’t make twins...”

“Which we didn’t,” April reminded her husband. 

“Right,” Andy said, breathing heavily as he lay on his back in bed, nearly half an hour later. “Even though that’s probably not what happened—“

“Andy...”

“That was still pretty friggin awesome.”

April laughed, curling up against him. “Yeah…”

“I just can’t believe our baby is in there,” Andy’s huge hand covered the expanse of her belly. “Like, we made that kid. It’s ours. We did that.”

“Yup,” April kissed his chest. 

“I love you so much,” Andy said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Love you too,” April replied immediately. 

“And I love you, mini-April,” Andy gently pressed against the spot where the doctor explained the baby’s head was. “Or mini-boy-April,” Andy added quickly.

April grinned, letting Andy play with her belly for a little while longer. Then, she sat up again and immediately straddled him. That’s the way her desire seemed to be working, and she had to admit that it was entirely awesome. 

“Woah,” Andy said, staring up at her with lidded eyes. 

“Round two, Dwyer,” she said causally. “Come on, you ready or not?”

“Ready,” he said hurriedly. “Oh my God, babe...so fucking ready.”


	68. Tol an Smol (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Height difference kiss"_

Andy was used to people being shorter than him.

All his life, he was tall. He was a large baby, a solid kid, a lanky teenager, and then finally a tall, somewhat chubby adult. The girls he dated were also always shorter than him, but none were as short as April Ludgate.

She was absolutely perfect in every way, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t secretly love how tiny she was. He loved scooping her up into his arms, loved the way she had to stand on her tip toes to try to kiss him, loved how when she leaned her head against his chest, he could easily rest his head on top of hers. It was awesome.

_“Babe,”_ she called for him from the kitchen, and Andy put down the guitar he’d been strumming in bed and bounded out like a large dog to see what she needed.

“Yeah?” he asked. He saw her, standing on her toes to try and reach the packets of tea in his and Burly’s kitchen cupboard. He chuckled. “What are you doing?”

“What’s it look like?” She grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Why is everything in this house so high up?”

“Dunno,” he said, taking a minute to watch her standing there in one of his large t-shirts and nothing else. “Hang on, your man is here.” He knew she secretly loved when he called himself that, and her smile was obvious. He grabbed the tea packets with ease and handed them to her. “Anything for you,” he added.

April grinned, pulling him down by his shirt to reach her lips. “Thank you,” she said.

“Anything else for the love of my life?”

“Let me make my tea and I’m sure I’ll think of something,” she whispered, giving him that lidded stare he loved so much.

“In that case, I’ll be waiting in bed,” he nodded.

“Wait!”

He turned on the spot, mid step. “Yeah?”

She hurried forward and stood on her tip toes, kissing him once more. Then, with a shy grin, she turned back to her tea.

Andy smiled. His girlfriend was the best.


	69. In the Woods, In the Rain (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by aubreyyjoyywalsh on tumblr! :)

If anyone else had seen the two of them right then, April would be furious. Not because she didn’t want them to witness her having an incredibly intimate time with her husband, because frankly, some of the Parks crew had accidentally stumbled in on much worse before. No, it was because of _what_ she was doing and the fact that she actually, truly enjoyed it.

There, in the middle of the living room of that tiny cabin she’d bought a year ago for less than ten dollars, she danced in the arms of her husband. The gentle but firm pressure of Andy’s hand on her lower back was comforting, and her cold fingers wrapped completely in his other hand was reassuring. Her head rested on his chest as she breathed in the familiar smell of him, of rain and laundry detergent and coffee.

“I love this,” she whispered, as the rain pelted the roof outside.

“I do too, babe,” Andy said softly, planting a kiss to the top of her head.

The both of them were barefoot, April in nothing more than underwear and one of his flannels, and Andy in boxers and a t-shirt now too big for him since he’d lost all that weight. It was a perfect way to spend a week away, and since they’d both become busier in their respective careers, April had needed this badly.

“Remind me again why we needed all the candles?” She chuckled, pressing her forehead into him.

“Because they’re sexy,” Andy grinned, “and because they smell kinda awesome…”

“Yeah, I guess so,” she said.

The music hooked up to her phone was soft in the background. Some folksy tune that she normally wouldn’t have given a second thought, but the melody and the singer’s soothing voice was just right. So she gave it a chance.

“It’s been too long since we had a getaway like this,” Andy said, rubbing his hand up and down her back. “I miss doing stuff like this, babe…”

“I do too,” she said.

It was true, since Johnny Karate had taken off, if Andy wasn’t filming during the week or working at National Parks with April, he was playing gigs on weekends. The money was great, and for that April was thankful, but she rarely got to spend any time with her husband anymore and it made her feel just as lousy as she knew Andy did. So, they planned this getaway. A week off, no work, cell phones off. They were completely unreachable, just the way she liked it.

The song ended, and the two of them pulled apart enough to look at each other. April stared up at Andy’s goofy grin, his unshaven face that was even more scruffy than usual because he’d given up trying to trim it for the sake of “vacation” as he put it. His eyes were soft and focused like they so often were when he looked at her, and _only_ at her.

“I love you,” April said, pulling him down by the neck of his shirt. Her lips smushed against his in a soft, warm kiss.

“I love you too,” he replied, once they broke apart. “Always, April…I love you so much. I’m so happy we did this.”

She smiled, feeling the warmth fill her chest from something as silly as a few loving words. “C’mon,” she tilted her head toward the small bedroom off the main living room.

Andy only nodded, his hand never leaving hers, following behind her without question.


	70. Skirts (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

_“You look so hot today, babe…”_

Andy’s words were soft, his lips barely grazing the back of April’s neck as he walked past her at the coffee pot. His breath was hot on her skin, and it sent shivers down her spine. She turned toward him—or tried to—but he held her in place with a gentle press of his palm on her back.

She chuckled softly, her breath hitching when she felt his other hand graze her thigh just beneath the hem of her skirt. Eyes wide, April craned her neck around. “Andy—“

“I love it when you wear skirts,” he purred, keeping his voice low enough that no one could hear him, not even Jerry, who was busy adding cream and sugar to his coffee mug. “You don’t know what it does to me.” He ran his mouth along the back of her ear, the cut of his teeth against her so amazing that April shivered.

She backed them up against the wall, in a little corner where they were better concealed. “What’s gotten into you, huh?” She turned to face him, gripping his wrist with her long fingers and giving it a squeeze. “You’re making it hard for me to want to go back to work…”

“You’re making _me_ hard. Period,” Andy rumbled, his voice low and deep.

April’s eyes popped open, shooting a quick glance at the front of his pants before checking to be sure no one was watching. Nearly everyone in the office was too involved in their work to notice or care. Sure enough, the telltale bulge was apparent.

“Andy…” April ran her hand up his arm, feeling for the strain of muscle hidden beneath the softer layer on top that she loved so much. She pulled him close by his shirt and crashed her lips against his. It wasn’t like Andy to get like this at work. It happened occasionally, but usually she initiated it. This was as refreshing as it was unexpected, and she wanted to take advantage of it. Who was she to question her husband lusting after her for something as simple as a short skirt and a few playful glances from across the room. Maybe a few dirty emails too, but that was nothing new. They did that all the time.

“You’re so hot,” Andy breathed, running his hand down her back and over her ass, just enough to cup her beneath her skirt, playing with the soft skin as he squeezed and kneaded. “I can’t stop thinking about you…not since you got dressed this morning.”

“Yeah?” April sighed against his mouth. “What d’you wanna do to me?” she purred. “Hmm?”

“Oh,” he smiled, kissing her between words, “lots of things. Lots and lots…”

“Tell me,” she kissed him again, their mouths open and hot. “Tell me, babe…”

Andy laughed, his eyes lidded and dilated. “You make me wanna—“

_“Ahem…”_

With a scramble, they broke apart, Andy’s lips stained pink from April’s lipstick and his shirt wrinkled where she’d forcibly gripped him. Ron was staring at them, coffee in hand, his eyebrows furrowed so that they were nearly one line.

“You know I value a good and healthy relationship,” he said, his voice low. “However, perhaps whatever you two were doing…or were about to do…would best be saved for when you get home for the evening.” His eyes darted from April’s mussed up hair, to Andy’s swollen lips where she’d bit down perhaps too roughly.

“Sorry Ron,” Andy said sheepishly, a goofy grin on his face as he chuckled.

“Not sorry,” April rolled her eyes. “C’mon,” she took her husband’s hand. “Let’s go to lunch.”

“It’s ten,” Ron raised an eyebrow.

“Brunch then,” April shrugged. “Just…forget it. We’ll be back, okay?”

They took the elevator to the run-down third floor, where Andy wasted no time in pushing her up against a wall. As April held on, relishing every slam against the filthy, stained wallpaper, she made a mental note to wear skirts more often. Way, _way_ more often…


	71. Caught (Rated M)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allie catches her parents in the middle of sexy times. No other explanation necessary. :P

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“They’re asleep. Get naked.”

April closed their bedroom door and all but pounced on Andy, who was busy in their bed shedding every available item of clothing at lightening speed. Socks and shirt and shorts flew across the room as April shimmied out of her panties, not bothering to rid herself of her thin tank top and just eager to feel him.

“Don’t need to tell me twice,” Andy said, staring at her with lusty, green eyes.

April slid into his lap easily, pulling him to her in a sloppy kiss before stroking him quickly to peak hardness. Honestly, he was already there. Sometimes she just liked to feel him first.

“I’ve been waiting all day,” she groaned, impatient and breathing quickly. “C’mon—“ she dug her nails into his shoulders and lowered herself onto his dick, filling herself without hesitation.

“Oh God,” Andy moaned, savoring the feel of her before promptly flipping them so he was on top. April stared up at him with a wicked grin.

“C’mon,” she growled. “I want you to fuck me like it’s been a week…”

“It _has_ been a week,” he says, all low and grumbly as he kisses her neck and tries to find a rhythm that suited them both.

“Exactly,” April said softly, closing her eyes as he pulled back out and in again. “So this better be good.”

Andy only flashed her a devilish grin before he set to work, shaking the bed and the walls and everything around them until April could only scream out his name, over and over as she begged for more.

Unfortunately, in all their passion and eager need they didn’t notice that the door was in fact still open…and the they weren’t exactly alone anymore. April was just beginning to feel that first heavenly bliss of orgasm when a little voice completely shattered the mood.

“Mama? Daddy?”

April shrieked and pushed Andy off of her, grabbing the blanket and pulling it completely around herself. Andy fell over, tumbled over the other side of the bed, before hastily reaching for his shorts and pulling them on backwards.

Seven year old Allie was in the doorway, her eyes bleary as she rubbed at them and clutched her stuffed animal in her arm. Her curly blonde hair was a mess, fresh from her pillow. They must have woken her up.

“Baby,” April sighed, breathing heavily as she struggled to catch her breath. “What are you doing up?”

“What were you and Daddy doing?” Allie stared at them suspiciously. “I heard yelling.”

“It was nothing, honey,” April said, glancing at Andy. “Go back to bed, okay?”

“Was Daddy hurting you?”

“What? Of course not!” April scooted closer to the edge of the bed.

“Honey,” Andy looked ashamed. “I would never _ever_ hurt your mama, okay? I need to make sure you know that.”

“Why were you wrestling, then? She sounded like she was crying.”

“I—“

“Mama kept yelling a bad word, and you were wrestling her—“

“Okay,” April cleared her throat. “Allie, it’s time to get back to bed. Daddy and I were just playing.”

“What were you playing?”

“Mommy and daddy games,” April said. “I’m fine and Daddy is fine, and we were just having some fun together like mommies and daddies do. I don’t want you to worry.”

“You shouldn’t say bad words,” Allie said, shaking her tiny head at her mother. “It’s not nice. Remember? That’s what you told us. _Especially_ the one you were saying.”

“You’re absolutely right,” April nodded. “Go on, go back to bed and I’ll be right there to check on you.”

“Okay.”

Allie turned and headed back down the hall to her room. Once she was gone, April covered her face with her hands and groaned loudly. _“Oh my God…”_

“That,” Andy flopped back onto the bed, “was the worst thing that could have possibly happened.”

“Not the worst,” April sighed. “Pretty damn close, though.”

“Babe,” Andy said, looking exasperated. “She thinks I was hurting you! That’s not exactly something I want my daughter to think her father does!”

“Andy, don’t worry…she knows you’d never hurt me.”

“She looked scared—“

“Then go tell her what we were really doing!” April rolled her eyes.

“Oh my God, no!” Andy yelled, wide-eyed.

“That’s what I thought,” April gave him a smug grin. “Look, someday, and that’s if she even remembers what she saw, she’ll figure out what was really going on. Honestly, she’s probably going to go to sleep and forget this whole thing.”

Andy groaned, pulling the covers over himself. “Well, that’s it then. Boner’s gone…mood killed.”

“Yup,” April groaned. “The wait continues. I’ll go check on her.”

Someday—and April couldn’t wait for it—they’d feel less like two boring parents who never had time for sex and more like husband and wife again. They’d just have to sweat it out until then.


	72. Failing (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"April comforts Andy after he fails the police exam"_

“Honey—“

“I'm fine…”

“Andy…”

“April, really,” he says shortly, his mouth closed tight as he shakes his head and shrugs several time in a row. “I’m good.”

April follows him. He’s fast, faster than usual, but she has no doubt that he doesn’t want her to see him like this, eyes red and wet and so unlike his usual demeanor that even he feels uncomfortable with himself. Still, she follows him all the way outside the police station and into the freezing cold parking lot. There, he stops to sit—collapse, rather—on a bench.

She knows his pain. He’s worked so hard over these last several months. The exercise, the training, the studying, all of it to reach this goal. Now all of it seemingly for nothing, and April just doesn’t understand where he went wrong.

“Honey,” she tries again softly, sitting beside him on the freezing bench. The tip of his nose is red from the cold air. “Andy, it’s okay…”

Andy gives her a sideways glance, and the fresh tear track that rolls down his cheek shines in the light of the street lamps. April reaches up and wipes it away with her thumb, before taking his arm and intertwining it with hers.

Finally, he takes a deep breath. “I don’t get it.”

“I know.”

“I…did everything I possibly could. I know I passed the written part. I know I did. I knew every answer.”

“I know babe,” she says again.

“I failed,” he whispers, barely able to meet her eyes. “I tried to get a good job…to take care of you and us and Champion…everything was for us. I failed.”

“Andy, look at me,” she says. He does, but barely. April reaches out to cup his cheek, brushing her thumb against him. “I love you. You tried so hard, and maybe you didn’t make it, but you are still amazing to me. So, so amazing…you should be so proud of yourself.”

“I’m not,” he chuckles dryly. “I don’t deserve to be proud.”

“Well, I’m proud of you,” she assures him. “I’ll always be proud of you. You don’t have to be a policeman to prove it.”

Andy nods slowly, pulling April closer to keep her warmer in the cold night air. She nuzzles against him, the fabric of his tux crisp against her cheek. For a moment, she forgot they actually had a wedding to go to at some point…that is, if Ron makes bail. That was another worry that the others could handle. Right now her husband needs her.

“You wanna go home?” she asks, after a while.

“We have to go to Leslie’s wedding,” he says simply. “We can’t skip out on her.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind if she knew—“

“No,” he shakes his head. “C’mon, we should get going.” He stands, pulling her up with him. He takes off his tux jacket and wraps it around her shoulders.

April walks alongside him, back into the jailhouse. They had to wait for Leslie and Ann to get Ron out. Then they still had to figure this whole wedding thing out. Maybe after that Andy would want to talk about it, about everything. Until then, April clutches his hand and holds on.


	73. Countdown (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr from a list of "day after New Years prompts"  
> Prompt: _"Congratulations. You actually convinced me to sleep with you."_
> 
> This is a mini-au and it's not *quite* the day after, but it fit better this way. ;)

“Oh my God,” April gasped for breath as she collapsed against the sheets, hot and sweaty and incredibly close to the man beside her. The alarm clock on her bed stand read just after midnight. They’d missed the countdown and everything. “That was...shit, that was incredible.”

“Yeah?” Andy’s lopsided grin spread from ear to ear. April watched as his chest rose and fell, just as out of breath as she was. 

“Duh,” April curled against him, enjoying the pleasant heat he was giving off and the way she molded to him.

“Well, guess I’ll consider it a successful New Year. I gave April Ludgate the best sex ever.”

“Who said it was the best?” She gave him a faux frown, which quickly turned into a smile, something she wasn’t quite used to but found she was enjoying immensely. Andy pulled her in for a deep kiss and she smiled against his lips, nearly ready to take advantage of his blatant continued arousal pressing against her thigh. 

_“You_ did,” he said, once they broke apart. “Several times while we were doing it.”

“Well, you’re right, it was. Congratulations,” April said. “You actually convinced me to sleep with you.” She traced the fine line of chest hair spreading from between his pecs to his navel. “Took you long enough.”

He chuckled. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since day one.”

It was weird. He was the guy who lived downstairs in the first floor apartment. He was noisy, clumsy, always playing guitar at odd hours of the day. They rarely crossed paths, April working the boring nine to five at the lousy City Hall while he did who knows what, but he always seemed to be home so she figured he was jobless. He had a stuck up roommate named Ben, who April figured paid more than his fair share of rent based on Andy’s financial state. 

Fast forward a few months, a few plumbing issues that April figured Andy knew nothing about but still asked for his help anyway, a few encounters by the washer and dryer in the basement, and they’d struck up some sort of relationship. 

It was an unconventional situation that drew them together, but April wouldn’t change a thing.

“So what does this mean? Like for us?” Andy asked. He scratched the back of his neck and stretched, yawning wide like a large dog. “I don’t wanna stop seeing you.”

April felt her cheeks flush. His words sent a sort of thrill through her. She didn’t hear those words often. “Me neither.”

“Awesome,” Andy pumped his fist. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” He looked around suddenly, like he was missing something. “Oh, we should probably turn the countdown on, right?”

“Andy, we missed it,” April chucked, curling into her pillow. “It was like fifteen minutes ago.”

Andy’s eyebrows came together in confusion. “We did? You mean...it’s the new year now?”

April nodded. She’s never met someone so oblivious, yet so endearing. Maybe that’s what drew him to her in the first place.

“Woah.”

“Yup.”

“So,” he grinned, “what now?”

“Well,” April slid into his lap, leaning in so her lips were hovering over his, “round two, I think…” Andy’s smile widened and April could feel his hands snake around her back. “Then I think you should stay the night, because I’m pretty tired and I sure as hell don’t want you to leave.”

Here she was, opening up to him. She was letting him in, and there was no going back. Somehow she knew she was making the right decision, but ultimately it was up to him whether or not he wanted to take this further. _She_ did, and she could only hope he did too.

“That sounds like an awesome plan,” he said softly.

“Glad you think so,” she whispered. Her heart pumped fast, the rush of adrenaline making her lightheaded. Maybe this would become something after all.

Then April kissed him, and together they forgot the rest of the world for just a little bit longer.


	74. Relax (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little something inspired by S5E12, _"Ann's Decision"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

April isn’t sure what exactly sets her off, but somewhere between the first failed attempt at the public forum and before they head back to the Parks office, she can feel herself start to shake. Maybe it was the coffee she had, which was entirety too much. Even now, as she sips the fresh cup Andy hurried to get for her, she knows it’s probably overkill. Her nerves are absolutely fried as it is.

Either way, she paces the hallway outside the office and breathes deeply, trying to will herself to focus, to figure out how she can break through to these town morons without losing her mind. Being Leslie for the day obviously isn’t working, but right now, neither is her brain.

Andy stares at her, a concerned look on his face. “Honey?”

“Not now,” she dismisses him, but adds in a much kinder tone, “Just…give me a minute babe, okay?”

He sighs, but merely stuffs his hands in his pocket and waits.

Andy always does whatever he can to make things perfect for her, but this time she needs to focus. Why did she even agree to this nonsense in the first place?

“April?” he tries again.

“Andy, please!” she snaps, turns on the spot and glares at him. “Please give me a damn minute!”

“Okay,” he shakes his head, and just as April thinks he’s going to back off, he strides forward and literally lifts her off her feet, slinging her over his shoulder as though they were home and he was about to carry her off to bed, like they so often do.

April struggles against his grip, huffing and puffing indignantly. “Andy! What the fuck, this isn’t the time!”

“You need to listen to me for a minute, sweetheart,” he says, bringing her to the nearest janitor’s closet and closing them inside. There, he places her on her feet and spins her around so her back is against his chest. 

“I told you—“

“You’re shaking, babe,” he whispers, and places two large hands over her shoulders, gently squeezing in some sort of lazy pattern. April tenses up at first, before she quickly feels her muscles relax under his attempt at a message. “You need to stop for a minute. Just a minute, okay?”

“Andy…” she starts, but quickly forgets what she was even going to say. His hands feel so good, even if he’s a giant goof and has no idea what he’s doing. Soon, she closes her eyes and takes deep breaths in time with his hands. She can feel the stress draining from her, even if it’s only temporary.

“You’re going to be fine,” he says, his mouth inches from her ear. “You’re gonna kick the next meeting’s ass, I know it.”

“What if I don’t?” she asks, closing her eyes before letting out a soft groan.

Andy kisses the back of her neck, then down between her shoulder blades. “Then who cares?” he says. “It doesn’t matter, because you’re still awesome.”

It’s not the most helpful advice, but it makes April smile all the same. She spins in his arms and hugs him tight, presses her cheek to his chest.

“Thank you,” she whispers, “for this, and for everything.”

“Anytime, babe,” he replies, lightly kissing the top of her head.

She really should get back to the Parks office. She’s got to plan another approach, has to figure out what she’s doing wrong. Still, she can’t help it when she stays still for a few minutes longer. Andy always has a way of making her forget the rest of the world.


	75. Camping Again (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by aubrey-softandsmall-plaza on tumblr! :)

April was so _mad._

Andy hadn’t seen her like this in a long time. Not since that time he thought she didn’t like Mouse Rat, but that was at least a year ago now. This time, she huddled in the corner of the small tent, facing away from him while he felt helpless and unsure of himself.

 _You shouldn’t have brought her camping, Andy._ The voice in his head was loud. Maybe he should have listened to it.

“Honey?” he said softly. “Can you talk to me?”

“Can you go away?” April replied, without looking at him.

“It’s raining out,” he said. “I can’t go anywhere or I’ll get all wet—“

“Then just leave me alone,” she shrugged. “I don’t want to talk.”

“Is this because of the rain, or—“

April spun around on the spot. Her hair was damp and she was wearing several layers to keep out the cold. “I told you I didn’t want to do this! You knew it and you still made me go.” She scoffed. “I hate camping. That’s never going to change.”

“But Ben and Leslie invited us—“

“Yeah, but you didn’t have to say yes!”

Andy was just trying to be a good friend. Last week Ben and Leslie invited the two of them along on a camping trip as a way to help with Leslie’s campaign. She was filming a TV spot in one of the Parks, trying to sway the vote in her direction by appealing to the outdoorsy types who loved to do this type of stuff. She needed two other people in the spot with her and Ben, so of course Andy wanted to help.

Unfortunately, the weekend didn’t go as planned. It hadn’t stopped pouring since they arrived at the campsite. Andy was just glad that Ben and Leslie couldn’t hear him and April arguing over the sound of the rain.

He took a deep breath. He hated when she was upset with him. “I’m sorry.”

“Whatever,” April huffed.

“I was just trying to be a good assistant,” Andy said softly. “I wanted to help Leslie.”

April didn’t respond, so Andy kept talking. Maybe if he explained himself better things would work themselves out between them.

“I’m not good at a lot of stuff, April,” he said. “I always screw things up. I wanted to do something good for Leslie’s campaign. You and Ben and everyone else always seem to know what to do.”

April turned to look at him and her eyes were softer. She didn’t seem as angry anymore, at least. “Andy…” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true,” he shrugged, now feeling bad about himself for real. “What good am I to anyone if I can’t even get this right?”

“Babe,” April made her way over to him, sitting down by his side as the rain continued to hammer the outside. “You are good at _so_ many things, you know you are. So what if this stupid camp thing didn’t work out? That’s Leslie’s fault for choosing to do this, not your fault for wanting to help.”

“Yeah, but—“

“Just stop,” April said, silencing him with a finger to his lips.

Andy did as he was told. They sat in silence for a little while, listening to the rain. Somewhere outside, they heard Leslie laughing with Ben.

“Guess they’re making the most of it,” Andy said. Of course Leslie would be laughing. Nothing ever seemed to get her down.

“Yeah,” April nodded, “and we should be too.” She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sorry, babe.”

“For what?”

“For acting like a jerk and taking my anger out on you.”

Andy gave her a sideways hug. His wife could never be a jerk, even if she thought she was acting like one. It wasn’t possible. She was too awesome. “Love you,” he said simply.

“Love you too.”

“So,” Andy took a deep breath, “what should we do while we wait for the rain to stop?”

“Well,” April bit her lip. “I remember how someone once told me that the best part about camping was making out in the tent…”

“Hey,” Andy looked at her. “Dude, that was totally me! I said that!”

“Uh-huh,” April slid into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“I love camping,” Andy said dazedly, as he stared into April’s eyes. It always made him feel like he was floating when he disappeared into those dark brown circles…it was the best.

“Less talking, more making out,” she said, silencing him with her lips on his.

And, for the hundredth time since they’d gotten married, Andy was reminded why he had the greatest wife in the world.


	76. Forehead Kisses I (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the lovely meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"Forehead Kiss"_
> 
> (There will be more of these, btw...I had too many forehead kiss ideas!)

Andy wasn’t used to studying so hard.

He’d never been much of a scholar while in school, far too interested in sports to really care about homework and tests, and his grades suffered as a result. The funny thing was, he never seemed to have a problem memorizing things. In fact, he could remember certain facts word-for-word. He just preferred not to apply that skill when he really and truly needed it.

Well, now was different. He actually had an end goal in sight. He needed to pass the Police Academy exam if he wanted to become a cop, and his beautiful, incredible, supportive wife was helping him every step of the way.

“Awesome job, babe,” April said, turning the page of the study guide. “We’re almost done.”

The two of them sat on opposite ends of the couch, a large quilt shared between them. April lay propped against a large pillow as she quizzed him, empty beer bottles and snack bags littering the floor around them.

“How am I doing?” Andy asked, taping his knees. “I feel good about it, y’know?” It was true. He hadn’t missed a single answer.

“You’re doing amazing,” April smiled, and quickly yawned. “So good,” she nodded afterwards, rubbing at her eyes with her palms.

“You should get some sleep,” Andy said, noticing the time. They’d been at it for hours now.

“No, no…” April shook her head. “We’re almost done. C’mon, a few more pages. This is important.”

Andy smiled, shoved a few more pretzels in his mouth, and they got back to work.

 

It was well past midnight when they were finished. Andy was reviewing the notes on his own again when he noticed that April had become increasingly quieter over the last several minutes.

“Honey?” he called her, not taking his eyes from the page. When she didn’t answer, he finally looked up.

April was fast asleep, breathing softly. Her head was smushed against the pillow, eyes fluttering under their lids.

Smiling, Andy quietly put down his notes to remove himself from the couch. He took the quilt and tugged it up over April until it was just beneath her chin. He thought about just picking her up and carrying her to bed, but she looked so incredibly comfortable. And peaceful, too…he didn’t want to disturb her. God, she looked so beautiful.

He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead instead. “Love you,” he whispered.

If she needed him, he’d just be down the hall in their room. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind. After all, there was no way they could share the couch without him moving her and undoubtably waking her up.

He turned the lamp off and headed to bed.


	77. Call For Help (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leslie gets a panicked text from Andy and rushes to her friend's aid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equniox from an angsty prompt list! :D  
> Prompt: _"Why do you do this to yourself?"_

_July 2023, Washington DC_

Leslie hurried as fast as she could through the hospital lobby and to the row of elevators in the far corner of that first floor. She barely noticed the people she passed, ignoring mostly everything except her destination ahead. She punched the “up” arrow on the wall and tapped her foot angrily at the wait, until the elevator doors opened before her and she rushed inside.

She was alone in the metal box as it slowly made its way up from floor to floor, until the number six flashed on the display and the doors opened again. She sprinted out and down the hall, checking the text again Andy had sent a little over an hour before.

_April’s in the hospital…please come. She had a panic attack before work…Leslie, I don’t know what to do…what if the baby is hurt?_

The baby…April was five months pregnant and she was scared, that Leslie was sure of. After she’d received that message, Leslie had tried to call Andy but the phone went to voicemail every time. She knew it was probably dead…Andy was the worst at remembering to charge his phone.

_Oh Andy…_

Once Leslie found the room, she pushed open the door slowly, trying to calm her nerves as she stepped inside. It was eerily quiet, the curtain was drawn around the bed for privacy. Leslie stepped quietly, unsure what to expect. She took a deep breath and walked around it.

April was lying in the bed and fast asleep, one hand resting protectively over her growing stomach. She was pale and her hair was a mess, frizzy and fanned around her head like a dark halo. Right next to her, also fast asleep, was Andy.

Leslie breathed out, relief flooding her at once. She fell into the chair beside the bed and rubbed her forehead with her thumb and forefinger.

Andy shifted slightly. Leslie saw how exhausted he looked. Almost as pale as April, he lay against her with an arm draped across her, her head tucked under his chin. The sight made her smile, and for a moment, the panicked text from before seemed forgotten. Things appeared fine for now, and for that Leslie was grateful.

She watched the two of them for several minutes as she sat, shooting a quick text to Ben to fill him in, making a mental note to call Ron too just in case. (As much as her old boss pretended that he didn’t care about his old co-workers, she knew he actually cared a great deal.) In all her time knowing other people, she’d never known another couple quite like Andy and April. She’d never known someone so head-over-heals in love with his wife—except maybe her own husband, but that didn’t count right now—than Andy was for April. That man would go to the ends of the earth and back for her. He would protect her at all costs, lay down his life for her in a heartbeat, cause serious harm to anyone who tried to do the same to April…and Leslie knew that in times like these, when the pain was unexpected and nearly invisible to all but April herself, Andy felt helpless.

He groaned and moved again, pressing himself closer to April—if that was even possible—and mumbled something in his sleep.

Suddenly, Leslie felt like she was intruding on a very personal, private moment. Maybe she could go get a coffee and come back? Maybe Andy would be awake by then. Someone was sure to come by to take April’s vitals soon. She gathered up her purse and left the room. She’d be back in no time.

 

“I don’t know, Ben,” Leslie sighed, talking softly on her way back to April’s room. She clutched her coffee as she spoke, nearly finished with the mountain of whipped cream on top. “They might still be asleep, I’m on my way in right now—“

The sound of Andy’s voice stopped Leslie in her tracks. He was awake and speaking to someone inside the room. The door was slightly open, and Leslie stood outside listening until she could get a better idea.

“Yeah,” she heard him say. “Thanks…”

“I’ll be back in a little while,” another voice—a woman this time, someone who wasn’t April—replied.

Then footsteps got louder, until a doctor exited the room. She smiled at Leslie as she passed. Leslie took this as a signal to head inside.

Andy was awake now. Leslie could hear him behind the curtain, though it was still drawn around the bed. Just as she made to walk around it, she could hear him speak again and stopped In her tracks.

“April…” he sighed sadly. “Babe…why do you do this to yourself?”

“Andy?” Leslie stepped around he curtain. Andy looked up quickly and tried to smile.

“Leslie, hey,” he said, wiping at his eyes. “Thanks for coming.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” Leslie said, taking a seat in the unoccupied chair. Andy sat in the one closest to April’s bed, her hand clutched in his. “How is she? Tell me exactly what happened.”

“It happened so fast,” Andy said softly, staring at April like she might wake at any moment. “She was getting ready for work upstairs and she just...she started screaming for me. I ran upstairs and she was shaking and crying on her knees on the floor.” Andy’s eyes were wet and for a moment, Leslie thought he might start crying. “I thought there was something wrong with the baby at first, but she was having an anxiety attack.”

Leslie knew Andy was used to this. April had been through this many times in all the years she’s known them, and sometimes it was bad enough to send her to a doctor. Rarely was it bad enough to land her in the hospital.

“Then what happened?” Leslie asked.

“I couldn't calm her down,” Andy said miserably. “She started hyperventilating and I didn’t know what to do. I’m always able to calm her down.” Andy ran his hands through his hair, leaning forward in his chair until he was facing the floor.

Leslie stood and gently patted him on the back. “Hey, Andy, it’s okay. You did the right thing. It was the best solution for April, and given the baby, the safest.” She looked over at the hospital bed. “Is she sedated?”

“Yes,” Andy said. “They gave her something to calm her down, then something to help her sleep. They told me it was safe for the baby.”

“Of course,” Leslie said gently. “I saw the doctor leaving when I was on my way in. What did she say?”

“Oh yeah,” Andy nodded. “She listened to the baby with one of those things doctors wear and then she listened to April’s heart. She said everything sounded good.”

“That’s great!” Leslie said brightly.

“Yeah,” Andy went on. “She said April will wake up in a little while, but she needs to stay the night to make sure everything is okay.”

“See?” Leslie squeezed Andy’s shoulder. “It’s going to be fine.”

“She was so scared,” Andy shook his head.

“April?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “She kept saying how she was afraid and the baby was going to hate her…all stuff that I told her wasn’t true at all. She kept shaking her head and crying.” He looked upset again. “I shouldn’t have tried to convince her to have a baby…this is all my fault, and now she’s gonna regret it.”

“Andy…”

“This is on me,” he said sadly.

“Andy listen to me,” Leslie said firmly. “You know April loves you and she’s so excited about this baby. I know she is. I can see it in her eyes every time I see her and I can hear it in her voice as much as she tries to hide it. She’s going to wake up and you’re going to be right here for her and she’s gonna be just fine. I promise.”

Andy took a deep breath and glanced over at his wife. “You really think so?” he asked.

“I know so.”

At that moment, April groaned softly and her eyes fluttered. Andy jumped forward, reaching for her hand again.

“Babe?” he said softly. “It’s me…”

Leslie stood up and shouldered her bag. Now was a good time to go. They needed privacy. “Listen,” she said. “You give me a call a little later. I’ll have my phone on me all day, you know that.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yes,” Leslie nodded. “April needs you, not me. I think it’s for the best if it’s you she sees when she wakes up.”

Andy smiled and stood to hug his friend. As usual, his hug was bone-crushing, but Leslie appreciated it all the same. “Thank you,” he said. “Y’know, for coming here and everything…just, everything you do, Leslie.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Leslie smiled. “I’m gonna go call Ben and tell him everything is fine. Keep me posted, okay? Promise?”

“Promise,” Andy said.

 _“Andy?”_ April’s voice was soft and raspy. Andy turned back to her.

“I’ll see you later, Andy,” Leslie said.

As usual, they’d be absolutely fine. Leslie had no doubt about that. Still, her phone would never be more than a hand’s reach away.


	78. Rockstars in Malls (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by aubrey-softandsmall-plaza on tumblr from a kiss prompt list! :)  
> Prompt: _"Starting with a kiss meant to be gentle, ending up in passion"_

“Oh my God, Andy, oh my God, _oh my God—“_

“What? Babe? What is it?” Andy spun around this way and that, grabbing his wife by the arm and instinctively pulling her in toward him. It was an instinct to protect her when he thought she was in trouble. He couldn’t help it.

_“It’s Jeff Mangum!”_

“Who?”

_“Andy!”_ April smacked his chest frustratedly. “We’ve been through this so many times! He’s the lead singer of Neutral Milk Hotel!”

_Oh yeah…him…_

“Oh,” Andy said, raising his eyebrows. “That’s awesome babe…that’s…great…”

April glanced up at him knowingly. Andy knew that _she_ knew what he was thinking. This very band was the subject of their first fight a couple of years back. Now, here in the middle of Pawnee’s stupid SkyMall, was the guy who April openly admitted she’d bang if she could bang any rockstar in the world. It was all part of Tom’s stupid game, of course…and the argument they’d gotten into had long been resolved. That didn’t stop that little pang of jealousy from springing up inside Andy’s brain.

“What should I do?” April bit her lip. Jeff Mangum was in the middle of the food court, seemingly unnoticed by anyone else. Maybe it was the hat and sunglasses he wore. Andy wasn’t sure. April still seemed to know it was him.

“I dunno babe,” Andy said. “Maybe you should go up to him?”

“You think?”

Andy had never seen April like this. She was giddy and blushing, acting like a teenager who’s crush had just walked by. He secretly resented that this guy was making his wife get this way. That was _his_ job and no one else’s. Then the mature part of him knew he should just get over it because it made her really happy, and that part ultimately won.

“Yeah, babe! Go for it. I’ll be right over here waiting.”

“You don’t want to come with me?”

“I’ll be nearby. Go meet your idol.”

“Ugh,” April rolled her eyes. “What if he thinks I’m lame?”

“Then I’ll punch him in the face,” Andy shrugged. That seemed to make her chuckle, at least. _Mission accomplished, Dwyer._ Even though it was secretly true.

“I want you to come with me,” April pulled him by the hand. “Please?”

Andy looked into her eager eyes. How could he say no to that? Sure, this guy could be the coolest person in the world and potentially try to steal his wife away when he saw how hot she was, but April needed him.

“Sure,” he nodded. “Whatever you want.”

April smiled, leaned up on her tip toes and kissed his cheek, before leading the way over to the man seated at the table.

 

All in all, it went better than Andy thought it would. This Jeff guy wasn’t a bad person. In fact, he was nice and gracious and willing to take a picture with April when she asked. He even shook Andy’s hand…and Andy may or may not have tried to squeeze too hard, but it didn’t matter. Andy also made sure to let him know that he too was a musician and told him as much as he could in a short amount of time about Mouse Rat. Mangum seemed interested enough, even if it was fake interest. At least he didn’t try to steal Andy’s wife. Apparently he was in Pawnee for business and on his way out that very afternoon.

April was still starstruck, even as they walked away from the foodcourt and back toward the parking garage.

“Andy, I cant believe that just happened,” she mumbled over and over, her cheeks still burning bright red. “That just made my year. Holy shit.”

“Glad you’re happy,” Andy said softly, giving her hand a squeeze. “That’s all that matters.”

“Thank you for doing that for me, babe,” April said breathlessly, turning toward him and stopping in her tracks. “If it weren’t for you I’d have been too freaked out to go up to him.”

“You would’ve!” Andy shrugged. “C’mon, you totally would’ve!”

“No,” she shook her head, “probably not. Having you there made it way better.” Andy cupped April’s cheeks. She stared up at him with wide, excited eyes. “You’re the best husband ever,” she said softly.

Andy couldn’t help it. He pulled her against him and kissed her right there.

April smiled against his lips, pressing her own against his over and over. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” he muttered, before opening his mouth for her. The kiss deepened, and before long Andy felt someone tapping his shoulder and kindly asking them to take their display of affection elsewhere because it was making the other shoppers uncomfortable.

April scoffed at the man, but they did as they were told. After all, no one would follow them to their car.

No one saw them screw in the front sear of the car either, which was pretty awesome. After all, April said she wanted to bang her favorite rockstar. Mission accomplished.


	79. Apologies (Rated M)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“Have I told you how sorry I am, babe?”

Andy’s voice was hoarse in the dark of the living room. It was certainly light out when they’d stumbled inside, attached at the mouth with hands feeling for every exposed bit of skin they could reach. Now it may as well have been hours later.

April could barely focus, save for her heavy breaths. Andy was still sprawled beneath her, his hands brushing across her lower back. “Yeah,” she panted, “you have...lots of times.” She added the last bit with a grin, kissing his chest with swollen, red lips, running her mouth over a fresh, purple bite mark. Her own hips had dark red bruises, where moments before Andy had held on tight while April fucked every single apology out of him. 

Makeup sex was awesome.

“Just needed to be sure you knew,” Andy added. “Y’know...because it’s important.”

“I know,” she chuckled, leaning forward to get at his neck, grazing the sensitive skin there with teeth. “We already decided that it’s done with. Don’t worry about it.”

Stupid arguments were just that: they were stupid. Even the two of them were bound to fight occasionally. Apparently it was healthy for your relationship, or at least that’s what Leslie had said. Honestly, April didn’t know or care anymore. Her mind was blank save for the memories of the last hour, and judging by the stiffness rubbing against her inner thigh, Andy felt he needed to apologize a little bit more. 

She was fine with that.


	80. Valloweentine's Day (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> April's been a little off lately, and Andy decides he's going to cheer her up by combining her least favorite day of the year with her absolute favorite day of the year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

Andy always liked to think that he was a pretty good problem solver. A lot of people told him so, even if it was just because he did something simple, like patching up a hole in the wall with silly putty, or cleaning the kitchen sink with lemonade because they didn’t have any lemons. Well, okay, maybe in those situations _he_ was the one telling himself he was a problem solver. It didn’t mean he wasn’t…it just meant that he was _innovative_ —according to Leslie at least. Now though, he was stumped. He just couldn’t seem to figure out what had been bothering April lately.

Things were pretty normal day-to-day. They’d go to work—April to National Parks and Andy to either a filming of Johnny Karate or joining her at Parks—they’d come home, eat, hang out, probably have sex, and go to sleep. She seemed normal then, and at the end of each night she would smile, give him a kiss, and doze off curled up next to him. But she was still acting different, and he didn’t understand why. When he tried asking her, it was always the same.

“Babe? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” April would blink at him and shrug. “Why?”

“Dunno,” Andy would say. “You seem distracted.”

“I’m fine,” she’d shake her head and change the subject.

Andy even tried asking Leslie if April was acting different at work one day while she wasn’t around. According to Leslie, she was the same as usual, which only worried him more. What if it was _him_ she was sick of? They’d been married for five years now, and he liked to think she was pretty damn happy. Hell, he was happier than ever.

_What if you’re boring her, Andy?_ The voice in his head would keep him up at night as of late, and it was terrible. _What if she wants someone different? Someone new?_

No, she wouldn’t do that to him. He was sure of it.

 

The following day was Valentine’s Day. Andy knew April hated it, always had, probably always would. So, he was going to go out of his way to surprised her in a way that only April would enjoy. Maybe it would help perk her up a bit. Andy knew April would be out most of the day celebrating Galentine’s Day with Leslie, so he had plenty of time.

He left the studio early to head to their favorite costume shop. Pawnee seemed to be the only town that had a shop like this open all year round, and for some reason it never went out of business. They always had plenty of fake blood capsules available, probably because he and April were the only ones who actually bought them. 

He bought ten packs of them, some fake spider webs and a few other random items, and headed home for the day to set up.

 

April turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open with a groan. Ugh, how she wanted this stupid day to end. Hell, she wanted the _month_ to end. Everything was exhausting at the moment and she needed to sleep it off. Preferably next to her husband, also preferably naked.

Galentine’s Day was the same as usual, although ever since Man Perkins had left town, Leslie had gone out of her way to make things even more “fun” to make up for her bestie’s absence, so all it did was annoy April even more than usual.

The first thing she noticed when she closed the door behind her was her foot stepping on something crunchy. Looking down, on the ground she realized was a trail of blackened, burned rose petals, leading in a trail toward the back of the house where their bedroom was.

“What the—?”

At once, creepy music started playing faintly in the distance, and Champion padded out from the kitchen with a tiny black cape on. Unlit candles covered the dining room table. It was only then that she noticed the spider webs.

“Babe!”  
April looked up in time to see Andy hurrying out from their bedroom, his eyes wide and round, looking frantic. 

“Andy, what’s going on?” She looked around and dropped her purse onto the nearest chair.

“Dammit, I feel asleep!” he said, smacking his hand to his forehead. April noticed his hands were stained red.

_Blood capsules,_ she thought.

“You what?”

“I fell asleep!” He looked miserable. “You were supposed to come home and see the house all done up, and follow the trail to our bedroom—“

“Andy, what is all this?”

Andy took a deep breath and slumped against the nearest wall. “Baby, I was trying to make a super creepy Valentine’s Day for you.”

“Why?” she smirked, shaking her head. 

“Because…I dunno, you seem so different lately.” He glanced at her briefly, then back at the ground.

“Different?” She walked over to him. “What are you talking about, Andy?”

“It’s just…every day you seem a little sad, and when I ask you what’s wrong you tell me it’s nothing, but I know better. I just assumed you were getting bored of me or something—“

“Andy,” April interrupted, cupping both his cheeks. She could see a splotch of the fake blood on his chin and rubbed her thumb across it with a smile. “I have no idea where you got that idea, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“Really?” he said softly. 

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Babe, I could never get bored of you. You’re the least boring person in the entire universe. Everyone else sucks. You’re a million times cooler than everyone.”

Andy smiled, and April leaned up to give him a quick peck on the lips. “Then what’s bothering you, honey?” he asked.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been acting a little distant,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “I’ve been a little overwhelmed at work and…I don’t know…I didn’t want to bother you with complaining about it.”

“Honey, you can always talk to me, you know that,” Andy reminded her. “I’m your husband, you should feel like you can tell me these things.”  
“I know,” April nodded. “But you’ve been so busy with the show, and you’re doing so awesome. I didn’t want you to worry about something stupid like this.”

“If something is bothering you, it’s never stupid,” Andy said.

April grinned. “Thanks. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Andy said. _“I’m_ so stupid. I’m sorry I ever thought something like that.”

April looked around the house, taking Andy’s handiwork in. “Well, forget about all that. Tell me about this.”

“Oh!” Andy’s face lit up. “Well, I was trying to transform the house into that scene from that horror movie we watched last week. I bought ten packs of blood capsules to transform the sheets—“

“Wait,” April looked at him sharply. “You mean…you actually—“

“Uh-huh,” Andy nodded, his eyes narrowing in mischief. “Took me forever, but I managed to make it look like a literal bloodbath on our bed.”

“Babe,” April grabbed him by the sides of his face, “I don’t know if I’ve ever been as attracted to you as I am right now,” she said, her voice a breathy whisper.

“Well,” Andy cleared his throat. “We uh…we can go test it out if you want.”

“Yes,” she said immediately. “Fuck yes.”

 

Yeah, they may have ruined a perfectly good set of sheets and possibly their mattress, but seeing April’s face when she saw how he’d transformed their bedroom into a recreation of her favorite horror movie? Well, that was priceless…and Andy felt stupid for ever doubting himself in the first place.


	81. It Will Always Be You (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox and inspired by another anonymous request on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"It's always been you. It will _always be you."__

Nothing out of the ordinary would have happened that day if things had gone a little differently. Maybe if April hadn’t taken the Skype call like usual, she wouldn’t feel like such shit in the first place. How terribly ironic and slightly poetic that the one thing that she looked forward to every single day turned out to be the one thing that made her feel worse than she’d had in months? Then she figured that this type of thing was destined to happen to her. Maybe she wasn’t meant to be happy.

It all started when Andy said _her_ name.

“Aw man, babe, I wish you could see the stuff we’re doing,” Andy told her excitedly, his face red like he’d just done a great deal of activity. “Eddie says this is the biggest event his company has hosted in forever. All these fancy people are going to be there to help raise money, and I get to help run it with Madeline.” 

April’s chest did that terrible clenching thing it sometimes did when she went on immediately alert. _Who?_

“Who’s Madeline?” she asked, warily. Andy had never mentioned anyone by that name before. In fact, she was pretty sure she knew about all his coworkers, and strangely enough, out of the few of them, none of them were women.

“Oh, Madeline?” he looked confused. “She’s super cool! She’s Eddie’s niece, and she’s helping out with the event. She lives in France but she came down for a few weeks to organize things.”

“Oh,” was all April could say in response.

“Yeah,” Andy nodded, totally unaware of the change in atmosphere over the screen. “We’re meeting up for lunch tomorrow to go over everything.” April couldn’t speak properly, so all she could do was nod. Andy went on, still oblivious. “Okay honey, I gotta go. I’m meeting Eddie and Madeline for late night drinks to celebrate how awesome we’re doing, so I’ve gotta get dressed again.” He was in his boxers and a tee shirt, which he usually wore as soon as he got home anyway. “Love you so much. I’ll talk to you tomorrow! Same time?”

April nodded, her words caught in the back of her throat. “Sure,” she mumbled. “Love you. See you—“

The screen cut out before she could finish. Andy had hung up before she could say goodbye.

 

“April?” Leslie tapped her fingers on April’s computer monitor, catching her long forgotten attention. “Are you with me? I need you to focus.”

April looked up. Leslie, Donna, Tom, Larry…they were all staring at her.

“What?”

“I was saying how the best way to approach the new budget situation…” Leslie’s voice drifted away and April put her head back down on her desk. She thought about leaving early and just going home, but in all honestly, it wouldn’t matter where she was, because she would still feel terrible.

After their Skype session had come to an abrupt halt, April had gone to bed. She hadn’t even eaten anything. In fact, she hadn’t bothered to take her makeup off, to get changed, to do anything to take care of herself. Andy was hanging out with a new, cooler girl, who was probably miles ahead of April in every department imaginable. It was the one little tiny fear she’d had about Andy going away. It was in the back of her mind, but still present nonetheless. Now it was becoming more real than ever and she wasn’t prepared for it.

The one thing she did do before going to bed was find Madeline on social media. Immediately, she found the only person on Andy’s friend list who went by that name. She was gorgeous. A tall brunette with curls and a curvy body to match. She volunteered at like a million different charities and had an impressive job, and from the look of things, conveniently no boyfriend.

April knew that Andy would never cheat on her. That was a given. It went against anything and everything he was as a person.

_He’d never cheat, but that doesn’t mean he won’t get sick of you and break things off once he realizes what he could have instead._

She didn’t know why these thoughts were plaguing her so fiercely. Andy had been gone for nearly a month now. He was supposed to finish up in a couple more months and come home, but now would he even want to?

For all his proclamations of love for her, for all the times he told her that she was the most incredible person in the world and how lucky he was to have her, would that change as quickly as she thought it might? It didn’t seem like Andy at all, but then again, she’d been wrong about people before. She just really didn’t want to think her husband could be one of those people.

_Don’t be stupid. He would never. Don’t be stupid._

Then, when Andy missed their Skype call the following night, her worst fears seemed a hell of a lot more possible than she ever thought they could.

 

Andy’s face lit up the screen of April’s phone the following morning, but she ignored it. She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t care what he had to say just yet. It rang again during her lunch break, and again that afternoon, until finally she was sick of it and turned it off altogether. 

She was sitting on the couch, scratching Champion behind the ears and staring at the television later that night when she finally decided to turn her phone back on. As expected, there were fifty texts and ten voicemails from Andy...and one from Ron Swanson. 

Curious, she listened to Ron’s first. It was simple and short. 

_“Call your husband right now. He’s worried sick about you.”_

April bit her lip. Something about the tone of Ron’s voice told her she needed to do what he said, and fast. She felt a little guilty that she didn’t even give Andy time to explain himself, but her brain had been too consumed with worry and the terrible possibility that her husband may have moved on to something better. With a deep sigh, she dialed his number.

Andy picked up after the first ring. “Oh my God! April! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said softly.

“Where have you been? Why haven’t you been answering your phone?” He almost sounded angry, something April wasn’t used to. Still, he sounded more upset than anything. “I’ve been so worried about you! I was about ten minutes away from flying home!”

“Andy—“

“I called Leslie and she said you were at work today, then I called Ron because I didn’t know what to do—”

“Why didn’t you Skype with me last night?” April asked, ignoring his explanation. “I waited for you and you never came on. I called you and your phone kept ringing.” The words tumbled out one after the other. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her cheeks. “You hung up the other night before I could even say goodbye.”

“Honey,” Andy sighed, “I’m so sorry…I was up so late the night before and I fell asleep at my desk at work. As soon as I woke up I realized it was way too late.”

April wanted to believe him. She did. But she couldn’t. “Too busy hanging out with Madeline?”

“What?”

“Your new friend,” April said bitterly. “You know, your new work partner?”

“No,” Andy said slowly. “April…I was working by myself all day today.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?”

“Yes, of course you are!” Andy sounded genuinely upset now. “April, what’s gotten into you? Why is this is about Madeline?”

“You never miss our calls,” April choked out. “Never…and as soon as you start to hang out with this new girl you seem like you’re forgetting about me.” She was well aware of how childish and petty she probably sounded. She didn’t care.

“You think I like her like that?” Andy groaned. “Honey…never in a million years…I only see her at work, and even then we barely talk about anything other than the project we’re working on. She didn’t even come out with us the other night. She’s a single mom with a kid—“

“So?” April spat, even though her offense was slowly crumbling.

“April,” Andy said slowly. “Sweetheart…listen to me…I would never, ever forget about you like that. I love you. It hurts that you even felt this way.”

His words sent a pang of guilt through her. She knew he was being honest with her. She was just too bitter to care at the moment.

“I…” she sighed, her breath shaking as it came out. “Fuck…I miss you so much, Andy,” she mumbled. “I just want you to come home.”

“How could you think I would so something like that?”

He sounded so incredibly sad. It hurt to hear the pain in his voice. It made April soften in an instant, leaving her more confused than ever on where she stood in this whole matter.

“Look, I’m sorry,” she sniffed, finally giving in. “It was stupid, okay? I know it was.”

Andy was quiet now. April could hear him shuffling around on the other end of the phone. She wished she wasn’t so insecure. She hated that about herself.

“April, it’s always been you. It will _always_ be you.”

“Andy—“

“I just can’t believe you thought…you actually thought I was going to get sick of you.”

“I’m sorry!” she yelled, finally breaking down over the phone. She took deep, shaky breaths as she choked out her words. “I just…I felt like you were forgetting about me.”

“Baby,” Andy tried to calm her down. “Honey, shh, hey, hey—it’s okay,” he said soothingly. “Listen to me. I love you so much. So, so much! You _know_ how much.”

“I know—“

“You’re—ugh, fuck it, I’m coming home—“

“Andy no,” April said quickly. He had worked too hard to drop it all and come home. Not for something stupid that she caused. She wouldn’t let him. “You’re not. You’re gonna stay and finish your project and everything else for the next two months. I’m fine…I’ll be fine, okay?” She rubbed her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” he asked hesitantly. “I’ll come home, I swear, I will.”

“No,” April shook her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer you when you called. I love you so much.”

“I love you April,” Andy said again. “I will never, ever think of anyone the way I think of you.”

They stayed on the phone for another hour after that. Andy refused to hang up until April was sure she was completely fine, no matter how much she tried to convince him that she was. She felt incredibly guilty.

That night, as April fell asleep, her head was filled with thoughts of Andy. She thought about how lucky she was to have him. How crazy she’d been to think he would ever feel any differently. It was the most she could do until he was home again.

 

_Two months later…_

“It will always be you,” Andy whispered into April’s hair, his entire body encompassing hers in a massive embrace. “Always you,” he kissed her head.

“Love you,” April mumbled, exhausted and ready for sleep. Andy had only been home for good for a few hours now, but from the moment she felt his arms around her it was like no time had passed at all. How she could even fathom that he wouldn’t want her anymore seemed beyond insane now.

“Love you too,” Andy said. “Missed you.”

“Missed you too.”

_It will always be you._ His words stuck with her. She made sure to never forget them again. Andy deserved nothing less.


	82. Morning Kisses (Rated T)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by aubrey-softandsmall-plaza on tumblr!  
> Prompt: _"Lazy morning kisses before they’ve even opened their eyes"_

The shift in the light is what does it. April doesn’t need to open her eyes to know that it’s morning. The combination of birds chirping annoyingly outside the window and the little grunts Andy is making as he stretches beside her make her groan.

It’s mornings like these that are perfect.

Without a word, Andy slings one long arm over April’s side and nuzzles the back of her head. She arches her back, stretching her own arms out in front of her, and sighs contentedly.

“Morning,” she whispers, digging her hips against his groin in a teasing shuffle of movement.

“G’morning,” he yawns, before April feels him press kiss after kiss to her shoulders, working his way up to the back of her ear. His beard tickles and scratches, and April squirms against him.

This is what she loves. Being there with him, her husband, with no where to be. No responsibilities, no work commitments, no socializing. Just each other and a bed they don’t have to leave unless they choose to.

Smiling, April rolls over in his arms to face him. She kisses and nips at his neck, making him groan out little sounds of approval.

“Do we have to get up?” she asks between kisses.

“No way,” he shakes his head and closes his eyes again. April just grins.

“Good.”

Her lips find his, and then it’s back to sleep for the both of them until they choose to get up, but April doesn’t see that happening anytime soon.


	83. Pretending (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox on tumblr! :)  
> Prompt: _“I’ve seen how much you really care–don’t pretend like you don’t.”_
> 
> Set during S3E5: “Media Blitz”

There was only so much of Andy rubbing Jerry’s disgusting, smelly feet that April could take before she had to get up and leave her desk. Though she did so with a self-satisfied smile, at least. He was so easy. He was such an idiot, he would probably jump off a bridge if she told him it would better his chances of getting together with her.

She walked down the halls of the building, searching out the coffee cart that had the veggie muffins. Andy used to buy them for her, back when he was cool. Well, turns out he was never cool. Such is life…people always disappoint you. April wasn’t surprised.

“April?”

April turned around. Leslie was about twenty steps behind her, a large mocha cappuccino in her hand.

“What?” April looked at her boss, confused as to what Leslie was doing following her around when she should have been doing damage control on Ben’s disastrous media appearances. 

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Leslie caught up to her, sipping the top layer of whipped cream off her coffee. “In my office?”

 _Well, that’s odd,_ April thought. “Okay, sure.”

Leslie led the way back to her office. She closed the door after April joined her and gestured for her to take a seat. Once Leslie was seated herself, she took a moment to collect her thoughts before she sighed deeply. 

“April,” she said, “can you just give me a bit of an explanation for what’s been going on with you and Andy lately?”

“What are you talking about?” April rolled her eyes.

“Well, right now I just walked by Parks and Andy was massaging Jerry’s feet. An hour ago he was cleaning the coffee pot. Before that, he was writing your grandfather a thank-you note. Why are you making him do all these strange, if not slightly repulsive, tasks?”

“I dunno, because he said he would?”

“Why?” Leslie narrowed her eyes.

“I told him I wouldn’t move to Indianapolis if he did,” April said.

“And will you?”

“Will I what?”

“Will you still move to Indianapolis even if he does all this stuff for you?”

“I dunno,” April shrugged. “Leslie, why do you care”?

“Because April,” the older woman said, her face darker all of a sudden as her eyes met April’s in a hard stare, “Andy doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t deserve the way you’re toying with his emotions, the way you’re dangling him on a string with seemingly no care at all whether or not you let him loose and he hurts himself.”

“What do you know about—“

“Andy cares about you, April,” Leslie said. “He feels terrible about what happened with Ann and he’s been trying to tell you what really happened. You won’t give him the time of day.”

“Leslie, I know you’re my boss and everything, but butt out,” April stood and made for the door. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I’ve seen how much you really care,” Leslie said, as April’s hand was on the doorknob. “Don’t pretend that you don’t.”

April didn’t turn around, nor did she say anything. She walked out of the office and past Andy, who was just finishing up with Jerry. She kept walking, and walking, until she bypassed the elevator and walked into the main stairwell. She went up to the third floor and into the abandoned office she often frequented, and sat in the broken down chair by the window.

A moment later, as she was mulling over her boss’s words and sorta-kinda-maybe thinking that Andy had had enough of her torture, she saw him enter the courtyard. He was wiping his hands on his apron disgustedly, his shoulders slumped. He looked around, like he was searching for someone. When no one appeared, he walked slowly across the courtyard and through the opposite door to Pioneer Hall and his shoeshine stand.

Maybe she was being too hard on him. Maybe she should hear him out. She wasn’t entirely sure, but just as she was leaning toward that particular option, Ann the Slut walked through the same doors Andy had just walked out of, and April felt that anger boiling up again.

Maybe he could suffer a little longer.


	84. Caught (Rated M)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How many times can two people get caught by their co-workers? Andy and April have probably lost count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as exactly what this is ;)

_Leslie Knope_

Leslie was on a high. She did it. She really did it. The Harvest Festival was a complete and total success. Not only did she manage to keep all her friends’ jobs, but she’d managed to bring a ton of revenue to Pawnee as well. It was perfect. She’d probably go down in Pawnee history for this. Okay, maybe in the book she was currently working on, at least…

After a long, wonderful week of festivities, she was supervising the cleanup at the end of the last day. For as much stuff that had to go into the building of everything, just as much, maybe more, had to go into taking it all down and clearing it away. Her friends hadn’t let her down, not even now. They took more of their own time to help her again and she’d be forever grateful.

“Okay guys,” Leslie said. “I’m gonna go finish packing the medical tent. Ann had to head back for her overnight shift at the hospital.”

“Sounds good Leslie,” Jerry said brightly, as he and Donna worked to gather the remaining bags of kettle corn and other refreshments. Ron was tasked with taking down some of the signs. Tom was off gathering more trash bags. Ben was talking to some of the vendors and other festival workers as they packed up for the night, shaking hands and thanking them for their service. Leslie took a minute to admire him. She stared at his perfectly pointed hair and adorably nerdy mannerisms. Until he caught her staring, which was a bit awkward. Quickly she turned her head to look at something else. It was then that she realized who was missing from their group.

“Where are Andy and April?” She looked around.

“Last I saw, they were by the ferris wheel,” Ron offered, grunting as he chucked a large sign that read _“cotton candy”_ into a growing pile.

“Oh, I hope Andy’s not trying to climb it again,” Leslie sighed. “Okay, if you happen to see them, tell them to meet me at the tent.”

“Will do.”

She sped off, her heart full and her brain buzzing with new possibilities. She had to make a mental note to book Lil’ Sebastian for next year. She added that task to her ever growing list.

The medical tent was dark when she approached, which was odd, because she’d told Ann to leave the lights lit for her. She opened the flap quickly and strode inside, but her resulting yell of shock and the speed with which she covered her eyes made her stumble backwards and out the entrance of the tent. Yup…she’d found them.

“Leslie!” April shrieked from within.

“Shit,” Andy groaned. “Leslie! What are…um…hey!”

Leslie could hear the creak of the cot as the two of them stood up in a hurry. She made sure her eyes were still covered as she stood and felt around the edge of the tent. Her heart was pounding. “What the hell are you two doing?”

“Well, we were having—“

“No, Andy! I _know_ what you were doing. I mean _why_ were you doing it in _here?”_ Leslie said, exasperated. She could hear them shuffling to put their clothes back on.

“No one was here,” April said. “Why does it matter?”

“It matters!” Leslie said. “Are you dressed yet?”

“Yes.”

Leslie uncovered her eyes. The two of them were staring back at her, huddled together and hastily dressed, looking incredible embarrassed. Well, April did anyway. Andy just looked like he’d been caught sneaking a cookie. He was only slightly ashamed.

“Sorry Leslie,” Andy said, sincerely. “We didn’t mean to…you know…”

“Get caught,” April finished for him.

“Yeah, that,” he said.

“You two,” Leslie sighed. “This is totally inappropriate—what if someone had seen you? Someone who wasn’t me?”

“Like who? Some vendor?” April rolled her eyes. “Nearly everyone went home and the Parks people are preoccupied.”

“Still!”

“We’re leaving,” April said, pulling Andy by the hand toward the tent entrance. “C’mon Andy…”

Leslie watched them go, unsure what to say. She wouldn’t soon forget what she saw, even if she did manage to close her eyes a fraction of a second later. _“Did you at least use protection?”_ she called after them, to which April replied with a disgusted grunt and Andy just giggled.

 

_Tom Haverford_

Tom grumbled as he took the elevator to the fourth floor, back to that rat-infested room with the smelly folders and flickering lights. He hated it there. It was disgusting, creepy, and judging by the brownish-red stain embedded deep in the hallway carpet, he was almost ninety percent sure there had been a murder committed there.

Trying to persuade Ethyl Beavers to help him had been a bust, as was trying to talk to Ron. Forget speaking to Chris Traeger about anything…that man was nuts. For now, he just had to accept the fact that he was stuck.

The door was closed when he finally made it back. Funny, he remembered leaving it open to help air out the smell. He nearly walked by it until he realized he’d gone too far. Just as he put his hand on the doorknob, he could hear a weird, deep groaning sound from inside. It made his hair stand on end, but not because it was creepy. It was almost _sexual._

 _No way…they couldn’t be._ Andy and April did a lot of weird things, but this? No, they wouldn’t chance it.

Quietly, slowly, he turned the doorknob and cracked the door. Peering inside, he could just make out what was going on. He could see Andy leaning back against the opposite wall, his head lolled back and eyes closed. His hands were out of sight, but Tom could already guess what was going on.

 _“Oh god,”_ Andy moaned, letting out another long, low rumble. _“Fuck yes…”_

Tom craned his neck a little more, enough to see the top of April’s head. He knew she was kneeling on the floor in front of Andy.

_Holy shit. She’s giving him a blow job._

Tom spun around and away from the door, his heart beating fast. What should he do? He didn’t want to stay and watch…that would be disgusting. April was like his little sister. 

Just as he had made up his mind to head back down to Parks and try to talk to Ron again, his phone went off. Jean-Ralphio’s number flashed across the screen and Tom swore under his breath. He silenced his ringer immediately.

“Andy,” April’s voice was soft. “Did you remember to close the door?”

“Yeah,” he grunted, and Tom could tell he was eager for her to get back to it. “Babe, I closed it and locked it too.”

Tom glanced at the lock. It was very obviously broken.

“Then what was that sound?”

“I dunno, just—c’mon—babe, please,” he whined.

“Well, because you said _please.”_ April’s voice returned to that low, sultry tone that honestly wanted to make Tom throw up.

Before long, Andy’s heavy breathing had started up again. Tom shook his head in disgust. He closed the door and ran away from that room as fast as he could. Once he reached the main office, he was out of breath. Donna looked up at him from her weird-looking space keyboard, tossing the thing onto the ground in frustration.

“What’s wrong, Tommy? You look like you just ran a mile.”

“Oh man,” Tom chuckled, catching his breath, his hands on his knees as he bent over. “You’ll never guess what I just saw.”

“What?” Donna whispered eagerly.

“Andy and April…upstairs in that shitty room I’m supposed to be scanning documents in. She was going down on him—“

“Damn!” Donna’s eyes went wide. “For _real?_ In the middle of the office?”

“Yeah,” Tom nodded. “They didn’t see me, but I got out of there before they could.”

“Those two are nuts,” Donna shook her head. “I mean, I’m no saint, but I know better than to do that stuff at work.”

“Those two don’t have any shame,” Tom said. “None at all…”

Tom decided to wait a while before retuning, just to be safe. By the time he made it back upstairs, the door was wide open again. Andy was scanning more documents. He greeted Tom casually, looking relaxed and cheery. He had a tiny smirk on his face, but his shirt was half-untucked and the back of his hair was messed up.

April was running her hands through her own hair. She looked up when Tom reentered, glaring at him. “What? Stop staring at me!”

“Nothing,” Tom said casually. “What were you two doing? It’s all warm in here.”

“So?” April said. “Who cares? I was helping Andy scan because you took off on him,” she muttered.

“Helping him, huh?”

April shot Tom a death glare that told him to shut up. He did, only because deep down he was actually pretty scared of her. Honestly, most people were.

 

Ben Wyatt

After a long day, all Ben wanted to do was go to sleep. He felt like he hadn’t gotten a proper night’s rest in forever. Maybe he’d watch some _Game of Thrones._ But if he was being completely honest with himself, he wasn’t really in the mood. 

Seeing Leslie at City Hall every damn day without being able to be with her was starting to grate on him. What they had, even if it was short-lived, was incredible. He’d felt like his life had purpose again. Suddenly his job wasn’t so boring anymore, and for the first time in many years, he was excited about going to work. That was _all_ because of Leslie. It wasn’t easy to just let that go. He never expected it to be, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. 

Ben only hoped the house was empty when he got home. It wasn’t likely, since Andy and April didn’t go out much. They preferred to stay in and order takeout. That in itself wasn’t the problem, though. It was more so that they tended to eat the take out half-naked in the living room, or worse, his room when their own was too messy. He turned the key in the lock and let himself in, holding his breath, narrowing his eyes to help soften the blow in case he saw something he shouldn’t—which wouldn’t have been the first time.

_Nothing._

No one was around. The house seemed quiet. Ben sighed with relief and made for his room. He was nearly there, one hand on the doorknob, when he heard them.

_“Fuck…”_

Their door was closed. As he walked by, Ben could hear the muffled sounds of their voices within. He grimaced, tried his damnedest to be quick, but either they didn’t hear him come home or they didn’t care. Usually it was the latter. A loud moan cracked the air.

_“Shit…Andy, A-Andy, oh my God…”_

April’s voice was high-pitched and breathy, not at all like the usual monotone she used around most people. That was one thing Ben had learned since getting to know the two of them. Andy was the _only_ one who got to see the softer side of April.

_Damn it. Not again…_

The number of times he’d heard them fucking was too many to count at this point. Sometimes he wondered if they did anything else at all. He tried to keep in mind that it could have been worse. It could have been going on in _his_ bed. He hadn’t talked to them for a week after that one time he’d caught them, and he’d lost far too many comforters to their pillow forts to count. When he first moved in, he thought it was just bad timing. After a while, he started to think that April was loud on purpose.

 _“You’re so hot, babe…“_ Andy’s voice was low and growling, and it made Ben shake his head to rid his brain of the thoughts creeping in. He tried to focus on Leslie instead, on how much he missed her and wished she was there with him. All it did was make him more miserable.

He was frozen outside their door when one of April’s sharper moans snapped him back to reality and he hurried into his bedroom. He couldn’t put his noise-cancelling headphones on quick enough.

Ben didn’t know when he fell asleep, but when he got up over an hour later he figured it had to be safe. Even those two couldn’t last that long. He made his way into the kitchen for a beer and stopped in his tracks.

“Shit!” He raised his arms at the speed of light to cover his eyes, but it was too late. The sight of Andy on his knees in front of April, his head between her legs as she leaned back on the counter top, was going to be burned in his brain forever.

“Ben, what the _fuck?”_ April screeched, sitting up straight and pushing Andy away hurriedly. 

“Dude!” Andy yelled, standing to his full height. “This is so not cool!” He wiped his mouth with the palm of his hand and stood in front of April to block her from Ben’s view. From the quick glance he’d gotten, she wasn’t wearing much by way of clothing.

“Seriously? The kitchen?” Ben groaned. “What the hell is wrong with your bedroom?”

“When did you even get home?” April yelled, as Andy pulled off his plaid flannel and covered her with it. “God, Ben!”

“I’ve ben home for like two hours!” Ben shook his head. “You know what, never mind. Just…I’ll go back to my room.”

“Dude,” Andy chuckled. “Next time give us a warning first.” That was Andy…never ashamed, never embarrassed. Even after being caught going down on his wife in the middle of the kitchen by his roommate.

“Noted.”

As he walked away, Ben could hear them talking together. April’s tone was angry and fast, while Andy’s remained calm. No matter how uncomfortable they might be feeling, it was nothing compared to how Ben felt. He decided to stay in his room for the rest of the night just to be safe.

 

Ann Perkins

It took her a while, but eventually Ann decided that maybe the whole _dating Tom_ thing wouldn’t be as bad as she thought it would. What could really go wrong? If it didn’t work, it didn’t work, and no harm would be done. If anything, she might have a good time. Tom was good for that at least. True, he might sometimes act like a little pervert who knew no boundary when it came to pursuing women, but at least he was a nice guy.

Of all the people who made her see the light of the situation, she never thought it would’ve been April Ludgate. Then again, she _was_ going to try dating Tom, so maybe things were just a little strange to begin with.

“Goodnight you guys,” Ann waved to Ron, who was carving something out of wood in the living room of Donna’s family lake house, and Donna, who was on her fifth glass of champagne for the evening. Leslie and Jerry were both passed out on the couch and Tom was admiring the photos of that _Ginuwine_ guy who she’d never heard of. “I’m going to bed.”

She wanted to sleep away the weirdness of the entire day. God, she needed it. Then, she realized she should probably check up on April. The girl had been so drunk that Ann had actually gotten a little concerned. Especially since Andy was still out looking for Champion.

The door was cracked when she reached the room April had passed out in. It was pitch black inside.

_“April?”_

There was no answer. April was probably asleep. Ann opened the door a little wider, just to get a glimpse of the bed. She immediately regretted it.

Andy was back, and he was lying next to April in the bed, propped up on his elbow. Ann didn’t even know he’d come back. She could hear him whispering, could hear April’s giggle in response to his words, followed by the soft sound of the two of them kissing.

Ann didn’t know why she was standing there spying on them like some sort of creep. It was terrible and invasive and so, so wrong. Yet she couldn’t make herself turn away just yet. There was something strange about seeing the man you dated for three years—who you lived with, who you actually thought you were going to marry—intimate with someone else.

“I love you,” Andy whispered to April. Even in the dark of the hallway and the bedroom, Ann could see the way Andy cupped April’s cheek like she was made of glass. The way his thumb slid across her skin before he leaned forward for another kiss. It was delicate and gentle and so full of love. He’d never touched Ann with the same tenderness that he did with April. That was a fact. Andy was loving in a lot of ways, but Ann knew he’d never loved her the same way he loved April.

“I love you too,” April whispered back.

“Are you feeling okay, babe?” Andy asked his wife. “Want me to get you some water or something?”

“I’m fine, jeez,” April replied. “Don’t worry about me.”

Andy chuckled. “So, uh, d’you wanna? The beds in Donna’s lake-house are way more comfortable than ours.”

“Do you have to ask?” April threaded her fingers through Andy’s hair. 

“Sweet,” Andy rumbled, his voice low, kissing her again and again. “I figured.”

Ann watched as he kissed down April’s chest, watched April’s stomach arch up into him with each press of lips. He was so passionate with her. Ann didn’t know the precise moment that Andy had transformed from the oftentimes selfish, lazy, man-child from all those years back, but he was an entirely different person now.

Ann knew it shouldn’t matter. She was happier now. Right? She’d had a rocky year, it was true. The breakup with Chris Traeger had been humbling for sure, and the line of one night stands from her dating adventures after that had amounted to nothing. With these thoughts swirling around in her brain, she stood there watching her ex-boyfriend and his wife about to have sex and it stirred the faintest bit of jealousy deep within her. 

Andy had always been a decent lover. He’d never had a problem in that arena. Out of all her exes, he was the most well-endowed...something she remembered fondly. From what she’d heard as of late, these two went at it constantly. She couldn’t really blame April.

“What d’you want, babe?” Andy’s voice was a soft purr as he continued kissing every inch of skin he could reach. Ann couldn’t believe they didn’t even bother to make sure the door was closed.

“You,” April replied simply, and Andy rolled on top of her without another word.

Ann knew she needed to get out of there before they saw her. Before things got weirder. She’d overstayed her welcome. Just as she turned to leave, she tripped over something large and soft lying at her feet. Something that was _moving._

Champion yelped and limped away. He’d been sleeping outside the bedroom door. The sound was enough to startle Andy and April. 

_Shit._

“Champ?” Ann could hear the creak of the mattress and release of springs as Andy’s heavy footsteps approached the door. She tried her hardest to get out of there. For once in his life, Andy was too quick. He hit the hallway light and lit up the entire floor. “Ann?”

 _“Ann?”_ April’s voice called out from inside the room. “What the fuck is Ann doing here?”

“Hey,” Ann grinned like an idiot. She could feel herself getting redder and redder by the second. “What’s up, you guys?”

Andy stared at her, his hand on the door. Ann couldn’t help but glance down. Thankfully he’d remembered to wrap a blanket around himself. Another thing he would’ve never bothered to do back in the day. “Do you need something?”

“What? Oh, no,” Ann shook her head. “No, no…I was just making my way to bed and I saw Champion out here,” she gestured to the dog who was no longer there. “I’m so happy you found him.”

Andy followed her gaze and looked more confused than ever when Champion was no where to be found. “You okay Ann?”

“Yup,” Ann nodded and couldn’t meet his eyes. “I’m just gonna go to bed now. So yeah...goodnight!”

“Tell her to go away!” April yelled from inside the room. “Tell her I wanna fuck my husband and I can’t do it unless she leaves!”

“I get it!” Ann shook her head and tried to block out their voices and the images now floating around in her brain. “I’m going now, I’m going!”

“Bye Ann!” Andy said, cheery as always, before he closed the door.

Ann couldn’t get to her own room fast enough. As if that wasn’t bad enough, her room was adjacent to theirs. She was pretty sure April wasn’t usually that loud. She always did enjoy messing with her. 

 

Donna Meagle

“So, are you writing a novel over there or what?”

April glanced up from her keyboard to look at Donna. The younger girl was flushed in the face, her eyes wide like she’d been caught at something. “What?”

“You’re typing like crazy,” Donna pointed out. “What are you working on?”

“Nothing,” April shrugged. “I’m just e-mailing some stuff.”

Donna didn’t believe that for a second. She’d been in this office a long time now and she’d gotten pretty good at reading her coworkers. April included, and April was the hardest to get to know. 

“Okay then,” Donna shrugged. “I was just wondering.”

“April?” Leslie stuck her head out of her office. “Can you help me with something really quick?”

Donna watched as April rolled her eyes and grumbled about having to get up, even if it was for a simple task—which it probably was—that would only take a minute. Now was her chance. She knew what she was about to do was wrong, but her curiosity got the better of her. Plus, April sort of owed her for that time she nearly wiped out the Parks database and Donna had arrived in time to save her ass.

Making sure April wasn’t watching, Donna got up to act like she was getting something off the shelf behind April’s desk. Slowly, cautiously, she peered at the computer screen.

It was an open e-mail to Andy. He was home sick for the day. It was long and wordy, and for a moment Donna wondered what those two could possibly need to say to each other that couldn’t be texted or spoken over the phone. Then her eyes went wide when she fell on a particularly filthy line of text that certainly wasn’t part of anything work related.

She read a few more lines, trying to catch what was being said. She knew she was totally wrong for this, but she was curious and a little bored, and her love life had been quiet the last week or so. She needed some inspiration. Andy and April were always good for some inappropriate fun, and no one else in the world seemed to go at it like the two of them did.

“Donna, what the hell are you doing?”

Donna’s head jerked up in time to see April standing by her own desk, looking horrified.

“Girl,” Donna shook her head. “I’m sorry, but… _DAMN._ You two really know how to get it _on.”_

“Donna, that’s private,” April switched the monitor off, looking angry now. “What the hell made you think that was a good idea? I can’t believe you!” 

“I’m sorry,” Donna said. “I thought there was something wrong with you. You were all red and jumpy and I wanted to make sure everything was okay. Apparently things are _more_ than okay.” She smirked.

“Listen,” April crossed her arms. “You tell _anyone_ about this, and I’ll tell Leslie about all those times you left early to go shopping instead of working the overtime you still made sure you got paid for.”

“That was two times,” Donna said, secretly impressed with April’s blackmailing. “No more than that!”

“Still,” April narrowed her eyes.

The two women glared at each other for several seconds, until Donna nodded and extended her hand. “Deal.”

“Deal,” April shook it.

“Can I just ask you something?” Donna whispered.

“What?” April rolled her eyes as she sat back down at her desk.

“Andy…how is he in bed? I bet he’s good, right?”

“Donna, gross,” April scoffed, but couldn’t hide the bright red hue on her cheeks.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Donna chuckled, walking away.

 

Chris Traeger

Chris left Andy and April alone feeling pretty good about the conversation he’d had with them. Andy was a good guy. He would bounce back, just like Chris said he would. Now he only hoped Andy could enjoy Ben and Leslie’s wedding. That was why they were all there, of course. That was the most important thing at the moment.

The night passed by without another hitch. The drinks were passed around, waffles were shared (he would have to run an extra hour tomorrow to burn them off) and by the end of the evening, everyone was pleasantly buzzed. That reminded him…he needed to go rehydrate.

Chris left Parks and hurried back to his own office, passing abandoned doorways and halls on the way. City Hall was so beautiful this time of night. Almost as beautiful as the radiant Ann Perkins!

There was just one thing that seemed a little out of place. At the end of Pioneer Hall, there was a light on by the courtyard entrance.

He turned around to investigate. He was still technically the boss, which meant that if someone was in trouble or doing something they shouldn’t, he needed to put a stop to it. Then he could get his water and return to the wedding.

He walked right into the hallway, only to run into Andy and April kissing at the shoeshine stand. Well, _kissing_ was an understatement. Andy’s pants were unbuckled and open as he leaned over April. She was seated in one of the chairs, her hand outstretched and down the front of Andy’s pants, stroking him intermittently as they kissed.

Chris’s breath caught in his throat. This was terribly, _terribly_ awkward.

“Uh…hello guys,” he cleared his throat.

The two of them broke apart with a jump, their eyes wide like deer caught in headlights.

“Shit,” Andy groaned, stumbling a bit as he struggled to zip his pants.

“Fuck,” April slurred, standing and flattening out her dress. The both of them were definitely _not_ sober. “What are you doing here?” She glared at Chris. Her lipstick was smudged. The rest of it was all over Andy’s lips. “Why aren’t you at the wedding?” 

“Why aren’t the both of _you_ at the wedding?” Chris asked.

“We…um…” Andy started but fell short, looking to April for an answer. 

“We needed air,” April crossed her arms.

“I needed water,” Chris replied. “I thought I’d run to my office to get some.”

“Dude, there’s water everywhere,” April muttered, looking annoyed.

“True, but I have vitamin water in my office,” Chris said brightly. “Totally different! Then I saw the light on down here and I had to investigate.”

“Okay,” April sighed. “We’re…um…leaving.”

“Why don’t you come back to the wedding?” Chris said. “I’ll be back there in a minute.”

“Great,” April rolled her eyes. Andy looked thoroughly disappointed. “C’mon Andy…”

Chris watched them go, smiling to himself. Yes, that was certainly awkward, but at least Andy didn’t look so sad anymore. Depression was the worst.

 

Jerry-Larry Gergich

Jerry had been a wreck all morning. He spilled coffee on himself when he came in (although that wasn’t new, he did that nearly every day) and tripped over his own chair. The entire office had a good laugh, but this wasn’t because of his typical clumsiness. It was because of something more important and it needed to be taken care of.

“What’s wrong with you, Larry?” April glared at him from her desk. “Why are you acting even weirder than usual?”

“I’m fine,” Jerry—Larry? He couldn’t bother to keep up anymore—shrugged. “I’m just a little preoccupied today, is all.”

“Why?” Donna piped up, narrowing her eyes. “What’s wrong with you? Did you have an argument with Gayle?”

“What? No! Of course not!” Jerry shook his head. “Not at all…I just need to talk to Leslie for a minute.”

“She’s in her office,” Tom rolled his eyes by the water cooler. “Just go in there.”

“I will, it’s just—“

“God, Jerry!” April stood and flung her hands up in the air angrily. “No one gives a crap!” She made for the door and stormed out the office, crossing her arms as she hurried down the hall.

“What’s wrong with her?” Tom asked. “Jeez…”

“She’s just bummed that Andy had to go back to London last night,” Donna said knowingly. “She’d gotten a little too used to him being home yesterday, even if it was barely twenty-four hours.”

Jerry tapped his fingers nervously on his desk. Maybe since April was gone, now was the time.

“Larry, you look nervous,” Donna shook her head. “It’s just Leslie! She’s not gonna bite your head off if you ask her a question—“

“It’s about April,” he finally whispered, looking both ways to make sure April was indeed gone. At his words, both Donna and Tom turned to look at him. 

“Ooh! Gossip?” Donna whispered. “About what?”

“It’s nothing,” Jerry groaned, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut in the first place.

“Larry, you have to tell us now!” Tom pressured, his eyes wide and voice low. “Come on, man! For the first time in your life you have people who want to hear you tell a story!”

“Tommy,” Donna admonished. “Rude.”

“Sorry,” Tom said quickly. “Really though, Larry!”

Jerry sighed and looked over his shoulder, then back toward the door. When he was sure April was no where to be seen, he began. “Okay,” he said. “Well, two days ago, I was here when Andy showed up and surprised April by coming home.”

“Right,” Donna said. 

“I was just leaving, and then they sorta hurried me out, in the usual fashion. Well, I’d made it all the way to my car when I realized I’d forgotten my phone.”

“Oh Larry,” Donna shook her head, looking like she already knew where this was going.

“Should’ve kept going, man,” Tom sighed, apparently with the same thought as Donna.

“Well, when I walked back into the office...I saw them...um...”

“Banging?” Donna offered, her tone completely unsurprised. 

“Yes!” Jerry nearly shouted.

Donna let out a bark of laughter. Tom shook like he was grossed out.

“Where?” Tom asked.

“The conference room,” Jerry groaned. 

“Who topped?” Donna smirked. 

“Donna!” Jerry rubbed his forehead, wiping away the sweat. This conversation was making him terribly uncomfortable. 

“It was Andy, wasn’t it?” Donna went on, nodding her head. “April is like clay in his hands when that man takes control.”

“You’re acting like you’ve caught them before!” Jerry wailed. 

“Because I have!” Donna laughed. “Who hasn’t?”

“Tom?” Jerry looked at the younger man. Tom merely grinned. 

“Dude, you were about the only one who hadn’t until now. Congrats, now you can join the club.”

“But that’s so _wrong!”_ Jerry said. “They shouldn’t be doing that stuff in the office!”

“Oh Larry...Larry, Larry, _Larry...”_ Donna shook her head. “Where have you been? I mean, I don’t blame April. I’d be missing him too if I were her. Have you seen how fine Andy is these days? He was good before but damn, he’s sexy now! If she wasn’t with him I’d have hit that years ago.”

Jerry closed his eyes and willed himself to think of other things. He had to get the images out of his head. 

“How much did you see?” Tom asked. 

“Enough,” Jerry mumbled. “I grabbed my phone and left. They didn’t see me.”

“And you think Leslie is gonna do anything about this?” Donna asked. “She’s talked to them several times, but deep down she knows we’ve all been there. She and Ben aren’t so innocent either.”

Jerry was sweating by the time he actually mustered up the courage to step into Leslie’s office. She was always so busy and this wasn’t such a trivial matter, but he felt like he needed to say something or he’d never be able to concentrate on anything else.

As soon as he walked in, Leslie looked up at him. Her eyes were already annoyed and she was completely swamped with work.

“What is it, Larry?” 

“Sorry to bother you, Leslie,” he began. “I needed to bring something up with you.”

“Okay, but make it fast,” she sighed. 

Jerry recounted his story to Leslie. He made sure to sound less accusatory and more helpful, trying to let her know that he had no problem with what Andy and April were doing, just where they were doing it. It was an office building that they all had to use. A conference table they all had to sit at. When he was finished, Leslie rubbed her eyes, looking exhausted. He knew she was still recovering from the filibuster from the day before, and something about skating with Ben later that same night. 

“Okay,” Leslie said finally. “Larry, thanks for letting me know. I’ll talk to April about it.”

“Will you really?” he replied, surprised. “Oh, that’s wonderful! Thank you Leslie. You know, I just feel like it’s important to—“

“I’ve got to get back to work,” Leslie said. 

“Oh, of course,” Jerry nodded. “Absolutely!”

He left her office with a satisfied smile. Maybe he actually did something good for the office for once. Either way, Leslie had heard him out and that was more than he could’ve asked for. His satisfaction lasted a whole five minutes...that is, until he spilled soup all over himself while eating lunch. April’s laughter rang out from across the room, but he didn’t mind. As long as he didn’t have to see her and Andy in the position they were in two nights ago, that’s all that mattered.

 

Andy and April

“Andy, April? Can I talk to you both for a minute?”

April looked up to find Leslie staring down at them. She was currently comfortably seated in Andy’s lap, playing with the knot of his tie while he sat at her desk. “What is it?”

“It’s just something I need to speak to you both about.” Leslie was bouncing on the balls of her feet as she bit her lip, looking uncomfortable.

“Sure Leslie,” Andy said eagerly, his smile never faltering.

“Okay,” April rolled her eyes. “What?”

Leslie lowered her voice and looked around. It was one of those rare moments when it was just the three of them in the Parks Department. Everyone else was out at lunch, and Ron was in his office with both doors closed. “You guys need to stop doing…whatever you do…when no one is around. In the office, I mean.” She took a deep breath and scrunched up her nose. “I mean, what I’m trying to say is…you have to stop…um…ugh, this is awkward.”

“Something you need to say to us, Leslie?” April narrowed her eyes, while Andy just looked at the both of them with a confused look on his face.

“Babe, what’s Leslie talking about?” he whispered.

“I think you know what I’m trying to say,” Leslie sighed. “Come on, April, don’t make me say it.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” April said, shrugging dramatically.

“You guys have got to stop having sex—“ she lowered her voice to a harsh whisper “—all over City Hall!”

“Sex all over City Hall?” April played dumb, enjoying the way Leslie was struggling with this. It was kind of hilarious. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“April, I know you know what I’m talking about!” Leslie said.

“I don’t.”

“Honey,” Andy spoke softly, “we have sex in the office all the time.”

“Andy!”

Leslie groaned, shaking her head. “This is what I mean. I’ve received so many complaints from people—“

“Like who?” April said, suddenly angry. How dare anyone have anything to say about them? Whoever it was, they were probably old and boring. Or jealous and lame. Either way, it wasn’t cool. “Was it Larry?”

“Well, Larry was one of them, yes,” Leslie nodded. “Apparently he saw the two of you the afternoon Andy surprised you by coming home early from London.”

“What?” April was horrified. “Ew!”

“Dammit Larry,” Andy muttered, shaking his head.

“That’s not the only time, though,” Leslie went on. “It’s not just Larry. Kyle from the fourth floor, Ethyl Beavers, one of the people from Animal Control, all of them and more have all either walked in on you two being incredibly inappropriate or worse, and they all came to me to complain.”

“Jeez Leslie, I never took you to be such a prude,” April said.

“I’m not!” Leslie said. “It’s just that I don’t want you guys to lose your jobs! If this stuff keeps up, it might go way over my head.”

“Isn’t your dorky husband city manager?”

“Yeah,” Andy nodded. “Ben would never fire us.”

“True, Ben your _friend_ would never fire you. Ben your _boss_ might not have a choice.”

April looked at her husband. Andy stared back with a blank expression. Yes, in a way Leslie was looking out for them. Maybe she could appease her for now. That wouldn’t ever stop April from pulling her husband into some abandoned closet…never in a million years. But she could play nice right now if that’s what it took to get Leslie off her back.

“Sure,” April shrugged. “We’ll stop.”

“We will?” Andy looked at her, his eyes wide.

“You will?” Leslie looked elated.

“Sure,” April shrugged.

“Oh, April,” Leslie leaned forward to pull her into a hug. April didn’t return it, only stood there awkwardly until her boss moved on to Andy. “Thank you.”

Once Leslie had all but skipped back to her office, chipper and beaming like usual, Andy turned to April and pulled her back into his lap.

“We’re not really gonna stop, right babe?” He looked nervous. “I mean, that sucks.”

“No, we’re not,” April said. “We’re just gonna try extra hard not to get caught,” she grinned, leaning in to kiss him.

Andy looked relieved when they broke apart. “Good, because that would be really lame.”

“Totally,” April nodded. “I mean, who would want that?”

“I wouldn’t,” Andy chuckled.

“Exactly,” April nodded. “You know what else this means?”

“What?”

“We have to go egg Larry’s house in retaliation.”

“Sweet!” Andy pumped his fist.

“Know what else it means?” April smirked, pulling on his tie.

“What?” Andy said, staring at her lips with dazed eyes.

“We need to practice being even _more_ sneaky. Like right now.”

“God, I love you, honey,” Andy marveled, pulling her against him as their lips met.

She told Leslie they’d stop. She never told her when, and as fas as April was concerned now was as good a time as any to sneak away to the third floor.


	85. Prove It (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When April gets a little jealous, Andy shows her he only has eyes for her in the best way he can think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“Oh my God, babe, just stop,” April closes her eyes and leans her head back against her headboard, pulling the comforter up to her chest. “I can’t take it anymore.”

Andy looks at her, blinks his eyes slowly like a deer caught in the headlights. “W-what did I do?”

April groans. Sure, he’s a little thick, but sometimes he could be too damn clueless. “How much more are you gonna talk about this girl?”

“What?”

He still doesn’t get it. 

“Andy, you haven’t stopped going on about the girl from the studio for hours now,” April rolls her eyes, still feeling a little stung by his seemingly endless praise of this complete stranger. “How nice she is, how awesome, how cool, how well she can play the guitar—“

“Are you jealous, babe?” Andy grins and chuckles a little, scooting an inch or so closer. April grumbles and crosses her arms in response. 

“No,” she mutters. “Who cares?”

“Honey, she only works for the TV station,” Andy says, trying to sound comforting. “She just so happened to be around while I was filming an episode and commented on my guitar, and we started chatting—“ He wraps his arms around her waist, eager to get to the sex that April was totally not in the mood for at this point. It was usually part of their routine before bed, anyway. 

April squirms away from him. “Well, damn, if you like her so much, why don’t you go make out with her instead?” She turns away and pulls the covers up to her shoulders, digging her head into her pillow. 

“What?” Andy looks at her, panicked. “No!” He slides closer to her and tugs at her shirt like a small child. “Wait, babe, I’m sorry! Listen, your lips are the only lips I want to kiss for the rest of my life!”

April smiles, but still faces away from him. “Prove it,” she grunts, knowing full well he would have no problem doing so. 

“Oh, I will,” Andy growls, wrapping his arm around her side. He tugs the comforter down a little more. It’s only another second before she feels the warmth of his lips press against her shoulder, little pecks traveling upward. “I super will.”

“You better,” April says petulantly. She keeps herself facing that wall, silently waiting for Andy to make his move.

Andy digs his other hand under the covers and snakes it beneath April’s hip. It’s not very often that he uses his size to his advantage, but this is certainly one of those times. He flips her so she’s facing him before he presses his lips to hers. He’s soft and his mouth is slow, from the pressure he’s giving to the way his tongue slips into her mouth. He wants to take his time with her. That’s usually how it goes when Andy feels like he needs to prove how much he desires her. 

April can’t help but enjoy this. So what if she was overreacting? If it meant a little extra affection and TLC from her husband, who was she to complain?

“Believe me now?” Andy murmurs. He pushes her sleeve up to bite at her shoulder. She shudders, delighting in the gentle cut of his teeth on her skin.

“Kinda,” April shrugs, disregarding the fact that she’s completely turned on at this point, and can feel him clearly stiff and ready under the covers.

“How—“ he kisses the indent of her neck, “—about—“ just above her collarbone, “—now?” and finally the spot just above her right breast.

“Eh,” April shrugs.

“Okay, guess I’ve _still_ gotta prove it,” Andy says in a sing-song voice, before he disappears under the covers with a devious grin and moves downwards.

April merely leans back with a self-satisfied smirk, stretches out, and enjoys herself. 

Yeah, he _definitely_ proves it.


	86. A Brief Respite (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being stuck in a car with Ben certainly isn't April's ideal situation, but talking about Andy definitely makes the time go by faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“I swear to God Ben, if you don’t drive faster I’m going to push you out of this car and drive myself, while the crows eat your dead, shriveled carcass,” April growled, leaning back in her seat.

It was nearing hour eleven of what was supposed to be a nine hour car-drive, but traffic and stupidity on Ben’s part—at least according to April—had set them back. Right now, all she wanted was to be home with Andy. It was a surprise, and neither Andy nor Leslie knew they were coming, but at this rate April didn’t care anymore. She just wanted to get away from Ben.

“Jesus, April,” Ben said, shaking his head. “I’m doing the best I can.”

“No, you’re not,” she looked at him, annoyed. “Why couldn’t we just fly there?”

“Look, I didn’t know it would take this long, okay? The GPS said there wasn’t any traffic.”

“Your GPS sucks,” April muttered.

“Well, I’m sorry,” Ben shrugged, staring straight ahead at the road in front of them. “Next time we’ll fly again. I was trying to make a road trip out of it.”

“Ben, I miss my husband, okay? I know you miss your boyfriend Chris, but right now all I want is to get home and be with Andy and now we’re never going to make it there in time.”

“Time for what?” Ben asked. “By the way, Chris isn’t—ugh, never mind.” He rolled his eyes.

“Andy’s going to be asleep when we get home,” April said.

“Why can’t you just wake him up?”

April shrugged. “Because the first thing I want to do doesn’t involve him sleeping,” she said, grinning at Ben’s obvious discomfort.

“Ugh,” he stuck his tongue out and shook his head. “April, I don’t exactly—“

“The best sex is _‘I miss you’_ sex,” she said. “God, I miss him so much…”

“Okay,” Ben said quickly. “Let’s talk about something else.”

“Oh, come on,” April rolled her eyes. “Don’t try to tell me you and Leslie don’t have some sort of weird ritual whenever you see each other after being away?”

Ben pursed his lips, thinking. A few moments passed before he smiled and laughed to himself, like he’d just remembered something awesome. “Well, actually we do. We call JJ’s and order too many waffles for take out, and then we go home and watch TV—“

“Okay gross,” April cut him off. “Forget I asked.”

“April,” Ben said, “not that I want to know _anything_ about the stuff you and Andy do behind closed doors, because God knows I heard and sometimes _saw_ enough of it when I lived with you guys, but isn’t there anything _else_ you two like to do?”

April glared at him. Sometimes he really was dumb. “Listen Ben,” she said, “just because you and Leslie don’t like to have sex—“

“I never said that—“

“What Andy and I have…” she started, averting her attention to her hands in her lap. “That’s not all we do, okay? But I don’t care what anyone else says about it. He makes me feel amazing no matter what we’re doing and I just want to get home to him.”

Ben stared at her like he’d never seen her like this before…which he probably hadn’t. “What is it that made you guys…y’know…so…” he squinted, trying to find the words, “…so obsessed with each other?”

“Well, that’s a dumb question,” April said.

“Forget it,” Ben said. “Sorry I asked.”

“Andy is amazing, okay?” April said, after a moment. “He’s perfect.”

“Sure,” Ben nodded. “I get it.”

“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” she said. “Forget it.”

They drove in silence for fifteen minutes. April stared out the window, feeling miserable. Truthfully, she’d felt miserable for a while now but hadn’t really told anyone. She missed Andy too much, she was starting to hate DC, and most of all, she felt as though she had made a shitty decision in the first place. She wasn’t interested in politics, so what had this whole internship been for?

“You know,” Ben chimed in, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Andy is still up.”

“He’s not,” April said dully.

“How do you know?”

“He’s my husband, that’s how I know. I know everything about him.”

“Well, that’s fair.”

“Duh,” April scoffed.

“You guys really are perfect for each other,” Ben said. “Just so you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” she replied.

“Andy really loves you.”

“Another thing I know,” she rolled her eyes.

“Do you remember that time he tried to fix the toaster by adding more toast to it?” Ben chuckled. “The bread was stuck and he was trying to get it out. For some reason he thought more bread would do the trick.”

April smiled, despite herself. “Not a terrible idea, if you think about it.”

“Well, we all had breakfast when he eventually got it out.”

“He’s a gorgeous genius,” April said. “That’s what I always say.”

“Leslie tried to persuade him not to stick the fork in it,” Ben went on. “Remember?”

“Of course,” April said. “Glad she stopped him in time since I wasn’t there.”

“You were too busy walking Champion.”

“God, now I miss my husband _and_ my dog,” April whined.

“Well, I’m sure they miss you,” Ben said.

April sighed. “And I guess Leslie misses you too,” she rolled her eyes. “Not as much as Chris does, though…”

“Okay, okay,” Ben said. “I get it.”

The final half hour of their road trip seemed to sneak up on them, and before she knew it Ben was dropping her off at her front door. It was well after midnight and all the lights were off, but she let herself in with a soft click of the key and made her way straight up the stairs.

Andy was sleeping soundly in bed, Champion at his feet. Slowly, April ran a hand though his scruffy beard, smiling at the way his mouth hung open in sleep and how his arm was draped over the side of the bed. He blinked his eyes open slowly, like a dream.

“April?” he said, his voice raspy. “Babe? Am I dreaming?”

“No,” she grinned. “Thought I’d surprise you. Although thanks to dumb Ben I’m here a lot later than I planned.”

Andy blinked a few more times before he smiled from ear to ear and pulled her up on top of him with minimal effort. “Best surprise ever,” he whispered, kissing her cheeks, lips and nose. “The absolute best.”

April nestled herself against him, warm and soft and right where she belonged. She was home.


	87. Cookies and Other Thoughts (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happiest of birthdays to puzzlingsnark on tumblr! <3

_Sometime in November of 2022..._

“Babe, why are we doing this again?” Andy mixed—or _whisked,_ as the cookbook called it—the floury concoction on the counter in front of him while his wife moved around the kitchen, searching for a specific set of baking pans. It was nearly ten o’clock at night, and suddenly April had the urge to make cookies. Andy was cool with that, of course, because cookies were awesome and he enjoyed random stuff just as much as April did. Yet whenever she had the urge to bake something, it made him curious. Usually she talked about how much she hated stuff like that.

“Because,” April said, her head nearly all the way inside one of the bottom cupboards. “You said you really wanted something sweet and I felt like it.”

“Oh,” Andy bobbed his head in agreement. “Right. Awesome, babe…you’re the best.”

“Uh-huh,” she said softly, not really paying attention. “Damn it, where is the baking sheet?”

“I have no idea what a baking sheet is,” Andy shrugged, adding the mix to the other bowl with the wetter ingredients, just as April had instructed him too. He popped a few chocolate chips into his mouth before adding them as well.

“It’s the flat pan…the silver one. You know what,” she groaned, “never mind, I’ll find it.”

“Okay honey.”

Andy watched her curiously. April had been doing a lot of stuff for him lately. It wasn’t that she never did things for him, because she honestly did quite a lot. It was the little things, though. Things like getting him a beer from the fridge when he casually mentioned getting one himself, or folding his laundry—which she hated—because he was honestly helpless at it. Even letting him play video games for hours on end instead of watching TV. Now she was making him cookies all because he said he could really go for some. She literally hopped off the couch and started getting things ready when the words had barely left his lips.

“Ah-hah!” April said triumphantly, raising the pan in the air. “Found it.”

“Sweet,” Andy said.

“Okay, is it mixed?” April looked over, setting the pan down on the counter.

“Yup,” Andy held the bowl up proudly. “I might have eaten quite a few of the chocolate chips, though.”

“That’s fine,” April shrugged. “Let’s just scoop them into balls and put them on the pan.” 

Without waiting for him, she dug her hands into the cookie dough mixture and started rolling out little round balls, one after the other in rapid succession. He was so distracted watching her, he had barely done any himself by the time the pan was half full.

“Babe,” Andy said softly, trying to get her attention. She didn’t look up. “April?”

“Hmm?”

“Honey, slow down.”

“It’s fine,” she said casually, still not looking up.

“Baby,” Andy stepped away from the bowl and pulled April against him, smearing cookie dough on her wrists. “You gotta hold on a minute.”

“Andy, c’mon,” she huffed. “I’m almost done—“

“What’s the rush?” Andy asked, tilting his head. “I mean, it’s like a life or death situation over here with the way you’re blasting through this. It’s just cookies.”

“I know.” She rolled her eyes.

“Why have you been doing all this stuff for me?” Andy asked. “Ever since last week you’ve been waiting on me like hand and foot, and as much as I appreciate it, I don’t need you to do all that.”

“Andy, it’s _fine,”_ she insisted.

Then a thought came to him. It was a little farfetched, but it was the only thing that could make any sense to him.

“Does this have anything to do with the baby talk?” Andy narrowed his eyes.

“What?”

“Y’know, after we came home from Ben and Leslie’s house on Halloween. It seems like ever since we decided that we’d wait on the whole ‘kids’ issue, you’ve been trying to make it up to me or something.”

“No, that’s not it!” April scoffed. “God, can’t a girl just make her husband cookies?”

“Well, yeah, duh,” Andy nodded. “But because she wants to, not because she feels like she needs to make it up to me because she’s not ready to have a kid. Or maybe she doesn’t even want to. Either way, it’s not supposed to be forced.”

April looked up at him, her dark eyes big and full or something…Andy wasn’t sure. Maybe it was hope? “I love you,” she said simply. “I want you to be happy.”

“I am,” he said immediately. “Happier than I ever thought I could be, remember?”

April smiled. “Yeah…I do.”

“Good,” Andy rubbed his thumb across her cheek, unintentionally spreading some cookie dough all the way to her ear. “Oh, sorry babe—“

April grinned, took her fingers and smeared a streak across his nose, from cheek to cheek, then down to his lips. Then, she leaned in to kiss it off. Her mouth was a sweet mixture of her usual taste, some vanilla chapstick, and now the sticky sweet dough. It was honestly heaven. What was meant to be a short peck turned into something much deeper, until their hands found the other’s face and held on.

By the time they broke apart, April’s hands were in Andy’s hair and his were around her waist and up the back of her shirt. They stared at each other with sweet lust in their eyes.

“I love you so much,” Andy said, knowing full well how dazed he must look. April had that effect on him. She was so beautiful, even with half her face covered in cookie dough.

“Love you too,” she leaned her head against his chest for a tighter hug.

“What d’you say we go take a quick shower while these things are in the oven?” Andy suggested.

“I dunno babe,” April said. “I mean, they only take ten minutes to bake and I think I need a little more time than that.”

Andy’s eyes widened. “Well, I guess the cookies will just have to wait.” In one swift movement, he scooped her into his arms and carried her toward the stairs, April’s laughter ringing out in their wake.

The cookies tasted pretty good, too.


	88. Charged (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy gets angry. April gets turned on. Easy to figure out what happens next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr

“Could we suck any more than this?”

April looks up from her magazine, startled by Andy’s sudden outburst. The other members of Mouse Rat are staring at him cautiously, trying to figure out where they went wrong while Andy paces back and forth, his hands in his hair.

“I mean, seriously guys, did we all forget how to play instruments or something?”

He was doing it again. April sits up straighter, enjoying the way her husband’s voice rises and his brow furrows when he gets annoyed. Andy didn’t typically get angry, per se, but this is damn well close enough and just the sight of him, all six feet and two inches of him towering over the others, sends a rush of heat down to her belly. She breathes out slowly and closes her eyes.

“Dude,” Burly groans. “We’ve been at it for _hours_ now. Can’t we just stop for the night?”

“Yeah,” the other two chime in, and Andy grinds his teeth. 

“This is super lame, you guys,” he runs a hand through his facial hair. “It’s not late, it’s only—“ 

“One in the morning?” Burly finishes for him, annoyed. 

“So?”

“Dude, we’re leaving,” Chang puts down his bass and Rivers stands up behind his drums. 

“Sorry man,” Burly claps Andy on the shoulder. “We just don’t have it together tonight.”

Andy lets out a loud grumble, slumps down the wall he’s leaning against in frustration. He looks absolutely defeated. As the band packs up and leaves, April makes her move because they’re finally alone. 

“It’s okay, babe,” she says softly, sitting down next to him. “They’re lame. We can just go home.”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “Stupid Burly…he’s _so_ lame. We sucked tonight.”

“Well, I thought you sounded awesome. Just you, not them,” April says, making sure to reach for his hand. He accepts hers gratefully. “They’re the worst.”

“Thanks babe,” he mumbles. 

“Know what else?” She stares at him with a devious grin. 

“What?”

“I’m so freaking _turned on_ right now watching you boss them around,” she says, maneuvering so she slips into his lap, locking her arms around his neck and diving in for a kiss. “So I’m kinda glad they left because I don’t think they wanna watch what I’m about to do to you...”

Andy’s eyes go wide as April quickly and skillfully shimmies out of her leggings and kicks them aside. She pulls her shirt over her head until she’s down to nothing but pink panties that Andy stares at with wolfish desire. In almost the same motion, she reaches for his belt and undoes the buckle. She can already feel him thick in his boxers, probably from something as simple as her sitting in his lap, and he only grows in her fist with every not-so-subtle palming of his crotch.

“April,” he groans, his arms falling limply by his side while she works him. “I-I don’t know if—“

“You wanna stop this right now?” She raises an eyebrow at him while she throws the panties in some corner of the studio. “Really?”

“No!” he shakes his head frantically. “I just didn’t lock the door!”

“It’s after one in the morning,” she purrs, freeing him at last. He sticks out hard in the air. “No ones coming...except you,” she adds in a low voice, the fire in her belly spreading straight down between her legs. Andy stares at her like he can’t believe she’s real. 

“You’re the most amazing, most awesome wife ever,” he says lazily, as April gives a casual thrust against his dick, rubbing herself against him with one long slide. 

“Yeah,” she moans. “You’re not so bad either.” Her smile is wide as she adjusts herself in his lap. She thinks for a minute about taking him in her mouth, but she’s already wet enough. No need for more prep. Honestly, she just wants him inside her. She lifts her hips, grips his shoulders, and lowers herself onto his cock. At that first contact, that first press of him inside her, her nails dig into the thick muscle of his shoulder and she lets out a long, slow breath.

_“Fuck,”_ Andy groans, guttural and harsh. His hands reach up under her bra to squeeze her breasts. “Oh shit, babe.”

“Do you know what it does to me when you get this way?” April kisses him, hard. Her breath is hot against his neck, where she bites down.

“Tell me,” he grunts, hands roaming to her hips where he grips her tight.

“Watching you take charge like that…getting all pissed off and angry.” April moves faster on top of him. “God, you’re incredible.” Honestly, April never knew _exactly_ what did it, what made her so giddy when Andy so much as raised his voice and got a little angry. She liked when he got that way during their roleplaying and in bed. She liked seeing him work hard and get heated. It was insane. “Ugh, Andy… _babe_ …fuck, I love you…”

“Love you,” he mutters as he pulls her bra cup aside, leaning forward to kiss her right breast, taking her nipple into his mouth.

“Shit,” April starts moving faster and harder. She’s almost there. Andy squeezes her thigh, close now too. The insanity of the whole thing bounces around in her mind. The fact that at any moment, any one of Andy’s bandmates could’ve turned around and walked right back in and seen them was thrilling and only made things better. The spontaneity of the whole thing is perfect, adding some spice to their regular week. It wasn’t that their sex had become boring (because it certainly hadn’t and never would) but moments like this remind her just how much she loves Andy and the way they are as a couple. She gives a few more pulses against him before she holds him tight, breathing hard through her nose into his neck. She tightens around him, her entire body spazzing until she sees blotches of black and brown behind her eyelids.

“April—“ Andy moves his mouth from her nipple to her lips and kisses her hard. At the same time, his hips thrust upward and he tenses up, his eyes shut tight as he growls into her mouth.

They both take a moment to breathe, stuck together in a sweaty heap, bodies slack against the other while they try to catch their breaths. April’s legs are sore from the rough fuck, her knees red and bruised from the constant contact with the hardwood floor. Andy looks as though he’s going to pass out at any moment, but still he stares at her with sparkling, green eyes and the warmest smile she’s ever seen.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” he says, voice raspy and dry. “You’re incredible.” He lifts his hand, his arm heavy and lax, and tucks some of her damp hair behind her ears. His hand brushes against her cheek on it’s way back down, before he gently grips the back of her neck and pulls her in for another kiss. He’s still fairly hard inside her, but April can feel him slowly softening with each passing second. She doesn’t want to remove herself from him. She’d honestly fall asleep like this if she could.

“You’re the best,” she murmurs, her eyelids heavy now. She falls forward and leans against him, resting her head on his broad shoulder.

“As much as I love this,” he whispers, stroking up and down her back, “we should probably head home now.” He glances at the clock. “We can get some real sleep…and spend all day in bed tomorrow.”

“Mhm,” she nods, but doesn’t try to move. She’s sore, too warm and full (literally) and can’t feel her legs because they’ve fallen asleep.

“C’mon honey,” Andy whispers, gently shaking her shoulder. “C’mon…”

April sits back up, her eyes pop open. Carefully, she eases herself off him and picks up her discarded clothes. 

Andy readjusts himself and buckles his pants. When they’re finally dressed and packed up, it’s nearly two in the morning. April reaches for his hand with a yawn and laces her fingers with his.

“Best band practice ever?” April looks up at him and smiles.

“Best band practice _ever,”_ Andy nods, kissing the top of her head.

Together they walk to the car.


	89. Ours (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment that takes place right after Andy and April's first time. The night of _Harvest Festival_ and not long after the ferris wheel moment and the finding of Li'l Sebastian.

April breathed slowly. The air around her was heavy, the smell was something natural and primal and not at all unwelcome. It was them, the two of them together, and it felt right. More than that, it felt perfect. Andy was perfect. The sex was...incredible. 

“You okay?”

April opened her eyes to see Andy staring at her, his head resting barely six inches away on the pillow. Sweat was beading on his forehead and his hair was sticking up, and his breathing was slow and measured, not unlike her own. Beneath the sheets, she slid her bare feet against his calves. 

“Yeah,” she murmured, reaching out to cup his cheek. 

“Good…” His worried face went away, only to be replaced with the bright-eyed, cheery Andy she knew and loved. He pulled her closer to him, one arm draped over her waist. His fingers played at her skin, alternating between gripping and caressing, running lines over her skin with the tip of his nails. The warm, heavy weight was an incredible comfort. Andy must have felt the same, because he didn’t let go. “April, that was—”

“Awesome?” she offered, with a smile. 

“Yeah,” he nodded, and leaned in to kiss her in a soft press of lips. Then he tucked his chin just above her head and sighed. 

April dragged her hand gently down, over his neck and his shoulder to rest her palm against his chest. She played with the little bit of hair there, feeling every little bit of Andy that she’d never paid much attention to before, but refused to ignore going forward. Things like the way his collarbone felt against her cheek, or how his curls brushed against the back of his ears. Things like how strong his legs felt against hers, how tight his arms really were. How incredibly safe she felt in them, which was something she knew from the beginning but could only appreciate ten-fold in this vulnerable state. She loved every inch of him and wanted all of him forever. 

After a while, a long moment of just cuddling and breathing together, and April nearly dozed off in her contented bliss, Andy spoke again.

“I kinda can’t believe it,” he mumbled, his lips grazing her head and muffling his words slightly. 

“Can’t believe what?” April asked, suddenly nervous as she looked up. _Couldn’t believe the mistake he’d made? Couldn’t believe how bad she was in bed? What?_

“Can’t believe how lucky I am,” Andy said softly.

April relaxed. Her muscles let go in his arms. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, all traces of silliness gone from his eyes. He was totally serious as he looked at her, and April recognized the same look from hours before, when the two of them were stuck on that ferris wheel and he’d finally said those three words. “I’m so freaking lucky, because I can’t believe you’re mine.”

April blinked a few times and grinned, rolling her lips because she didn’t know what else to do. She could feel herself blush, the heat in her cheeks matching the burn of her skin.

“Or, y’know—“ Andy added quickly, “—I mean, you’re not _mine,_ I mean, I don’t _own_ you, you own me, I’m—we own each other—“ he started stumbling over his words in his haste to correct himself, and April only laughed.

“Dude,” she said, nuzzling him with her face in what was probably the most ridiculously cute manner she could have done, “I know what you meant, don’t worry.”

“Okay,” Andy exhaled and closed his eyes, “good.”

“Mhm,” April sighed again, closing her eyes to try and fall back into that drowsy rest. Andy was so, so comfortable. It was insane.

“Should we, uh, worry that your parents might come home?” Andy shifted a little but never once made a move to get up. If anything, his grip over her tightened.

“Nah,” April shook her head. “They’re visiting my aunt in Muncie,” April said. “They’re not coming home until tomorrow.”

“What about Natalie?”

“She doesn’t care,” April assured him. “Plus, she owes me for all the times I didn’t tell my parents that she was sneaking out of the house after they went to bed.”

“Cool.”

Andy began to busy himself by playing with some loose strands of her hair. His eyes were soft, yet focused, like he wouldn’t want to be doing anything else in the world. April let him, not saying a word, simply enjoying the feeling of his big hands in her hair. She nearly fell asleep again.

“You’re beautiful, you know,” he said suddenly, his hands still once more. April’s eyes popped open again. “The most beautiful person, like, ever. The hottest, and the smartest—“

“Thanks,” she chuckled. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“I guess,” Andy sighed. “I dunno, I guess I’m just trying to say, um, that I’ve never felt this way about anyone else I’ve ever been with before.”

April looked up at him, smiling despite herself. “You sure you’re not just saying this because we just had sex?” she asked. Yeah, she knew that wasn’t why, but joking and deflecting was easier sometimes.

“Of course not,” Andy said. “I mean it.”

April bit her lip, her smile wide regardless. She leaned forward to kiss him again, pushing her tongue into his mouth this time. Things only slightly escalated from there, the two of them holding and caressing the other for a bit. If April wasn’t so exhausted at the moment she’d be up for round two. Andy probably would too, but right now he was worn out. Instead, they broke apart and resumed cuddling.

They had hours ahead of them before they had to move again. The Harvest Festival seemed like a distant memory after everything that had happened since they’d come back to her house. Nothing mattered except the two of them in this one, perfect moment, and April wanted to forget the rest of the world for just a little bit longer. Forget that they had to eventually get up and head back to the fairground to help with another day. The good thing was, even after this night came to an end, even after they went to sleep, they’d wake up again and there would be hundreds—thousands, at least April hoped—of these nights to look forward to.

If April had ever even thought for one moment that she’d made a mistake in loving him, she knew now how wrong she was.

“I love you,” she said again, this time in barely a whisper meant for Andy and him alone. She reached for his hand beneath the covers.

“I love you too,” Andy replied, kissing her quickly, “so, so much, babe.”


	90. Full Moon Kiss (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place sometime on their honeymoon at Lake Michigan...on Burly's family boat that they borrowed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by the sweet meet-me-onthe-equinox! <3  
> Prompt: _"Kiss under a full moon"_

The cold wind blowing off Lake Michigan whipped at April’s hair. She tugged her sweatshirt tighter, trying to get it as snug around her as possible. The boat rocked in the water, moving with the waves and the winds urged them on. Beside her, Andy wrapped his long arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer. It was insane to be out on the water at this hour, but April always liked being a little insane in the first place. 

“Beautiful, huh?” Andy whispered, staring up at the large full moon. 

“It’s okay,” April said, gently elbowing his side. 

“Not as beautiful as my wife, though,” Andy said, kissing her head. 

_Wife._ April liked the sound of that word on Andy’s lips. She liked the taste of it even better. Wordlessly she slid into his lap and wrapped her arms around him.

“You’re such a dork,” she laughed softly. “And you suck at driving this dumb boat.”

“Well, you suck at water skiing,” Andy said, laughing along with her. 

“We both suck at stuff, I guess.” April laced her fingers with one of his hands. She could feel the beat of his heart, heavy against her ear. It was strong, steady and comforting. She rested a hand against him to feel the vibrations on her palm. Andy just kept staring at the dark night sky while his other hand splayed over April’s back, large as it was, and kept her warm.

“We made a good decision,” Andy said, after a long while. “Getting married, I mean.”

April glanced up at him. “Yeah, we did.”

“Every once in a while,” Andy went on softly, “I have this dream that we’re back at the beginning...and you never come home from Venezuela. You never call me again.”

Now April pulled away just to look at him properly. He was staring down at her, his eyes wide in the moonlight. “Andy, it’s just a dream,” April assured him, cupping his cheek.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I know. But then I think of us now and how far we’ve come and I’m just super happy.”

“I’m happy too,” April said. “I promise babe, I’m never gonna take off like that again. That was...stupid. I look back on that now and I realize what a dumb move that was.” And it really was, but she was scared at the time. Scared, and incredibly hurt. Should she have done things differently? Of course. Would she have? She didn’t really know. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too,” Andy said quickly. As much as April liked hearing it and being reminded of how much he cared about her, she knew Andy needed those reassurances from _her_ sometimes too. She was more than happy to give them to him. “You’re the best.”

His resulting smile was infectious. April couldn’t help but return it. She pulled him down by the collar of his shirt and pressed a kiss to his lips. Andy held her tight against his chest, and April pushed back until he was on his back along the deck and she could straddle him. It wasn’t the most graceful of kisses after that, nor was it the most comfortable given the cold and the wind and the slippery wooden surface of the deck, but it was just the two of them on their honeymoon, and all of it felt too perfect for either of them to care.


	91. She Needs to Know (Rated G)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested by meet-me-onthe-equinox, who is the brightest ray of sunshine in all of Pawnee <3  
> Prompt: _"Foreheads resting together"_
> 
> Set the same night that _"The Johnny Karate Super Awesome Musical Explosion Show"_ takes place, after Andy's wrap party.

Andy doesn’t know much, but he does know his wife. He knows her better than anyone else. He knows what makes her tick, what makes her sad, what makes her happy. He knows what she needs, or at least he likes to think he does. So far he hasn’t been wrong, so he sticks to that treasured knowledge which seems to work for the both of them.

He lets them into the house after that long, emotional day. His bow tie is already loosened around his neck and he’s more than a little tipsy, thanks to the wrap party afterwards and spending hours celebrating with his friends. Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible, and he made sure to thank each one of them for appearing on his show through the years and for making this dream a reality for him. Most of all, he thanks April. She deserves more thanks than everyone put together.

“That was awesome,” he says with a yawn. Now, they’re both exhausted, but Andy can’t help but focus on his wife. “You okay, babe?” He’s still worried about her. She was so upset, and for a minute he didn’t think he’d be able to convince her that he’s happy with his decision and she should stop blaming herself for things that aren’t true in the first place.

April looks at him and smiles softly. There’s a look in her eyes that he’s seen before. In fact, he’d seen it only a few hours before when they were filming. She _was_ still worried about the move, about him having to quit the show because of her new job. He knew it…he was right.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she nods, kicking off her shoes and bending low to scratch Champion behind the ears. She focuses on their dog for a minute or so. “I’m so proud of you,” she adds, looking up at him. “Everyone else is, too.”

Andy walks over and gently tugs her up and into his arms, wrapping her in the tightest hug he can manage without crushing her. “I love you so much,” he whispers. “Thank you for an amazing night tonight. You arranged, like, all of it.”

April shrugs. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s everything,” Andy kisses her head. “I’ll never forget this night for the rest of my life.”

April rests her head on his chest and closes her eyes. They could easily walk up the steps to their bedroom if they wanted, but something tells Andy the couch will be just fine. Plus, they’re both just too damn exhausted. He backs them up and lies back on the cushions, where April curls up against him. Not bothering to change out of their nice clothes, the two of them slowly drift, too tired to do much more than hold each other.

 

Andy wakes a few hours later to April gone. He stands slowly, stretching his arms and bending his back, working the cramps out from the awkward position.

“Babe?” He looks around, but the house is dark. “April?” From the kitchen Champion pads over, panting slightly, followed closely by April. 

“Hey,” April looks up at him, surprised that he’s awake. She’s wearing Andy’s hoodie and holding the dog’s leash. 

“Did you…walk Champion?”

“I needed to get out for a bit,” she shrugs, tossing the leash aside. 

“It’s like three in the morning,” Andy says, rubbing his eyes.

“I know,” she says. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Andy sighs, gesturing for her to come closer to him. She does, and he tugs her into his lap on the couch. Wordlessly, she wraps her arms around his neck as he cradles her. “Hey,” he presses his forehead against hers. “I already told you—“

“Stop,” April sighs heavily.

“I don’t regret a single thing, okay?” He says it quickly. She needs to know, no matter how many times he says it. She needs to understand.

“Andy—“

“Not one thing,” he says firmly. “I need to make sure you know that.”

April looks up at him, her brown eyes wide and a little wet. She opens her mouth to speak, but instead resumes resting her forehead against his as she nods.

“Tomorrow we’re gonna have a you-and-me day, is that cool with you?” he says. “Just us and no one else, no packing or anything that has to do with the house or work or anything. That sounds okay, right?”

“Yeah,” April whispers. “That sounds pretty perfect.”

Andy can tell she’s smiling. That’s all he needs. “Awesome,” he says. “Let’s go to bed, okay?”

“Uh-huh,” April yawns.

“C’mon babe,” Andy says, lifting her easily. Together they head upstairs and get undressed, finally shedding their fancy clothes as they fall into bed.

April immediately slides over so she’s against his chest and Andy’s arm drops over her instantly. He can feel her fingers wrap around his wrist, and it’s only a matter of time before he can hear her breathing softly.

Who cares about a stupid television show compared to how much April means to him? For Andy, the choice is an easy one. He just hopes that April knows that, too.


	92. Parents' Night Out (Rated E)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy and April take advantage of some much-needed alone time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr  
> Prompt: _"When the kids are away, the adults will play"_

For a moment, just one little moment, April remembers what it was like before she had kids. She remembers because it’s been far too long since she’s felt Andy like this, taking his time with kisses and gentle bites all along her neck. She can’t remember the last time they had a night to themselves, at least not since Melody was born nearly six months ago now. They told Leslie that they were going to have a date night. What they didn’t tell her was that she’d be babysitting while Andy and April stole away to a shitty motel for a little privacy and some proper adult time.

Adult time, lovemaking, non-stop fucking. Whatever you want to call it, that’s what they were doing.

“Mmm,” April moans happily when she feels the cut of Andy’s teeth against her neck. He bites down, enough to hopefully leave a mark like she told him to, while his hands are free to wander. She feels one palm squeezing her ass, the other her breast, and all of it is heavenly.

The cheap mattress springs creak with Andy’s weight as he falls onto his back, pulling April down with him. “Babe, you’re so hot,” he says between kisses. He looks dumbstruck as he stares at her, with just as much wonder in his eyes as the first time he’d seen her like this all those years ago. “This was such a good idea.”

“I know,” April groans, grinding against him. “And so are you, babe. So fucking hot…” She runs her hands through his facial hair, his darker beard that he’s been letting grow out just a little longer than usual. She doesn’t know why she finds it so hot, but she can’t stop cupping and rubbing his cheek and right now she just wants him in every single way. “God, this fucking beard,” she mutters.

“Like it, huh?” Andy chuckles, kissing along her jaw and stopping to suck on the spot below her ear. April shivers beneath him.

“God, yes, I love it,” April breathes. “Don’t ever get rid of it—babe—don’t—“

“Won’t,” Andy grunts, his guttural sounds turning to a drawn out moan as April kisses his neck.

In nothing but their underwear, they decide to draw this out as long as possible. There had been far too many clothed quickies over the past few years than April would care for, and while all of them were awesome in their own right, there was something special about taking their time.

Although, now she’s a little more impatient than she would have liked. She moves Andy’s hands to her waist and together they drag her underwear down until she kicks it off onto the floor. Andy follows suit, pulling his boxers down just enough until he sticks out hard in the air. April straddles him immediately, sliding up until his dick is flush against her stomach. She slides up and down once, dragging herself along him.

“Fuck—“

“Andy,” April braces herself with one hand on his chest and looks into his eyes, “I love you.” She lifts herself and sinks onto him, moaning long and low.

“Shit…oh God…I love you too,” Andy pulls her down roughly, crashing his mouth against April’s as she rides him.

It’s slow at first, then April moves faster. Their lips never leave each other’s skin the entire time. Bruises blossom on necks from teeth while red welts appear from lips, swollen in the constant crash against the each other.

Before long, April screams into the air, loud enough that she’s sure her voice carries through the thin, shitty walls. Andy comes right after, thrusting up into her with haggard, heavy breaths and sweat beading along his forehead.

Together, bodies rolling slower and slower, they eventually come to a stop and lie atop the covers, breathing hard. April refuses to move off him, even with Andy getting soft inside her and her legs nearly fall asleep on either side of his waist. She snuggles against his chest while Andy raises his arms to wrap around her.

“We’ve gotta do this more often,” he whispers, after a little while.

“Uh-huh,” April nods, pressing chaste little kisses to his skin. His heart pounds furiously against her ear.

“How long until we gotta pick up the kids?” he asks, yawning.

“About another hour,” she answers sleepily.

“Perfect,” Andy whispers.

A nap just might do them some good. It’s a parents night out, after all.


	93. The Best Wife In the World (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy knows he's just so damn lucky. He's got the best wife in the _entire_ world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as some "protective/jealous Andy" and a little bit of "jealous kiss" prompted by the wonderful aubrey-softandsmall-plaza! :D
> 
> Takes place at Tom's Bistro after the Unity Concert. Before the "let's get divorced!" scene :D  
> (I firmly believe that the two of them banged in the closest empty trailer right after the concert finale. Don't try to tell me otherwise)

Andy was on top of the world, or so he felt like it. His high from closing out the Unity Concert was still going strong, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He felt like he could run a marathon.

Beside him, April held tight to his hand. Every once in a while she would look up and smile at him with that proud look in her eyes, and Andy’s heart pumped each time she did. She was the one who made this possible for him. She loved him so much and he loved her just as fiercely. How could he ever repay her? There _was_ the impromptu hook up they’d just had in one of the other band’s trailers. That was pretty awesome too, and April seemed pretty pleased. Andy grinned to himself at the memory.

Now, as everyone filed into Tom’s Bistro for the afterparty, the night couldn’t seem like it could get any better if Andy tried.

“What’ll it be, babe?” Andy asked, eying the bar. “Tom said we can have whatever we want for free.”

“Did he really say that?” April narrowed her eyes and smiled playfully, playing with the collar of his shirt. “Doesn’t sound like Tom.”

“I don’t know, but we can pretend he did,” Andy tapped his knuckles on the bar’s counter. “Right?”

“Right,” April leaned up to kiss him on the lips. Andy pulled her in closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You think we ruined that dumb trailer?”

“Well, that one wall is definitely bent,” Andy said, lowering his voice to a whisper. He smiled and kissed her again. Truly, he could kiss her forever. 

“Good.”

“I love you,” Andy said, for seemingly the one-hundredth time that night. He’d never stop saying it. Not just because it was true, but because she deserved to hear it all the damn time.

“Love you too,” April said softly, slowly pulling herself away. “Order me some wine, okay? I need to find the bathroom.”

“Will do, babe,” Andy nodded.

 

April was gone longer than usual, or at least longer than it took to use the bathroom. Andy took their drinks and left the bar in search of her, weaving through the ever-growing crowd. Friends and strangers alike called out to him as he passed by, congratulating him on the success of the concert or marveling at his Mouse Rat performance. Still, no sign of his wife.

Finally, after circling the place twice, he found her caught up in conversation with one of the members of another Unity Concert band. The other man was casually leaning against the wall with his back to Andy. April must have seen Andy approaching, because at the sight of her husband her eyes widened and she waved him over.

Maybe it was one of those strange animal instincts Ron sometimes talked about, but in that moment it felt like the hairs on the back of Andy’s neck stood up and he felt an overwhelming need to stand between this guy and April. It was one of those weird feelings that Andy usually only got when he felt extra protective of her. The only other way he could describe it was that it was similar to the animalistic urges he sometimes got during sex, but that was another story. Humans were just weird like that, he supposed.

“Honey,” April tugged him by the elbow when he got close enough. “Jeff was just telling me how awesome he thinks Mouse Rat is.”

The man named Jeff—the drummer, if Any remembered correctly—had a strange swagger to his movements as he stood up a little straighter and extended his hand for Andy to shake.

“Oh, thanks man,” Andy said, handing April her wine and shaking Jeff’s hand. “Yeah, we had a blast.”

“Thanks babe,” April said. She took a sip and laced her free hand with Andy’s again.

“So did we,” Jeff said. “I was just talking to your beautiful wife about you.”

“Oh yeah?” Andy glanced at April. She was biting her lip and Andy could see the faint blush on her cheeks. She always did have a bit of a thing for musicians. He couldn’t tell if her blush was from the compliment or the fact that she didn’t like when people gave her praise, but either way it made him wrap an arm around her waist and pull her in. “Well, she’s definitely beautiful.”

“She told me that _you_ organized all of this concert,” Jeff said. “That’s pretty awesome, man.”

“Well, I had a lot of help,” Andy scratched his beard. It was true, he did have help. Lots of help. The old Andy, the one who was still dating Ann, maybe, would have been less humble. These days he knew better. “Without April, none of it would have been possible.”

“Stop,” April mumbled, drawing out the word with a shy grin and nudging him with her shoulder. “You’re amazing. You could’ve done it without me, if you’d wanted to.”

“She told me she used to manage Mouse Rat too,” Jeff said. “Pretty awesome.”

“Yup,” Andy nodded.

“Interested in that sort of thing?” Jeff asked, now staring at April.

“In what? Managing bands?”

“Well, yeah,” Jeff said. “Being out on the road, touring with a band, stuff like that.”

Andy started to grind his teeth. What was this guy getting at? Was he trying to snatch his wife away to come work for him and his band? _It would never work, April’s not interested,_ he thought to himself.

“Not unless the band’s name is Mouse Rat and the lead singer is Andy Dwyer,” April said, glancing up at Andy with _that_ look in her eyes. The one that told him things were, and would always be, just fine.

“Thanks honey,” Andy said, kissing the top of her head. “She’s pretty awesome, isn’t she?”

“Yeah,” Jeff nodded. “I can tell.” He downed what was left of his own drink. “Hey,” he said, chuckling, “April, if you ever get tired of this guy and you want to get together with another musician, hit me up.”

Andy tried to laugh, but instead sipped his drink awkwardly. It was meant as a joke, Andy knew that. He was pretty sure April knew that too, but she only rolled her eyes. Still, his laugh was as fake as this guy’s dyed black hair. “Shit, I hope not,” he took another sip.

“I’m good,” April said firmly, squeezing Andy’s hand.

“Ah, damn,” Jeff shrugged, still trying to keep the joke going. “Well, if you change your mind…”

“I won’t,” April said, now more serious than before. Andy could tell she was starting to get annoyed. She leaned into his chest. “I like _my_ musician.”

Andy beamed at her. When she looked up to meet his stare, he couldn’t help himself. He kissed her hard on the lips. April responded enthusiastically, her drink spilling to the floor, the glass shattering. Andy’s joined not long after when she hopped up into his arms, her legs linking securely around his waist. Neither of them noticed when Jeff walked away, too lost in each other to care.

“Umm,” a voice behind them piped up just as April’s hand was working it’s way under his flannel to caress his chest, popping open the top button. “Guys?”

If Leslie hadn’t interrupted them, Andy was about to find the first empty closet available and use it to bang his wife again. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the opportunity. That would have to wait, but it was no matter. Andy was no where near done thanking April for one of the best nights of his life.


	94. The Sunrise (Rated G)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy takes April camping again because he has a special plan. Something he only wants to share with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a little something inspired by something I read
> 
> Prompt I used was requested anonymously on tumblr as the kiss prompt _"When One Person’s Face Is Scrunched Up, And The Other One Kisses Their Lips/Nose/Forehead"_

When Andy wakes, everything around him is still and quiet. He is first and foremost aware of how pleasantly snug he feels tucked up in his sleeping bag—well, _their_ sleeping bag—and the idea of moving at first seems completely insane. Outside the little tent, all is quiet. The chirping of birds hasn’t yet begun, but it’s the alarm he had made sure to set the night before that reminds him of his plan.

He takes a deep breath of the woodsy air around them before he gently nudges the sleeping body beside him. Tucked deep into his chest, wrapped in one of his sweatshirts to the point where her face is near-invisible beneath the turned up hood, April lets out the softest of groans.

“Babe,” Andy leans down and whispers against her ear, his lips barely grazing her. She twitches just a little and lets out another little sound. Andy grins. It’s the sound she makes every morning when she’s got to get up and would rather stay in bed. “Time to get up.”

“No,” she mumbles, turning her face so it’s muffled against him. Inside the sleeping bag she shifts, curling up and somehow making herself seem even smaller.

Andy usually hates disrupting her. Hell, usually he hates getting up just as much as she does and would gladly stay in bed with her all day. This was different, though. They had something they needed to do. “Honey, you promised.”

“Andy…” His name is a drawn out sound when April says it, her voice full of exhaustion and stubbornness and dislike of mornings all rolled into one.

“April…” He mimics her tone.

Slowly, she peers up at him, blinking her eyes awake. Her face is all scrunched up, adjusting to the darkness around them. Andy grins at her before leaning forward and kissing the spot just between her eyes.

“Ugh, fine,” she grumbles, rolls over and sits up with a yawn. Staring sleepily around the tent, she rubs her eyes with her palms. “Only because I love you.”

Andy chuckles softly. He can’t help himself when he leans in to press his lips to her forehead. He really did have the best wife in the world. “I love you too. This is gonna be so awesome.”

“Keep in mind,” April says, smiling at him lazily, and Andy just wants to pull her into his arms, she’s so beautiful. “We could totally be doing it in this sleeping bag right now instead of getting up and trekking though the woods.”

“Can we do it when we come back?” Andy asks hopefully. Honestly, he’s alway down for sex with April. No questions asked. She was his wife who just happened to be the hottest woman in the galaxy. There wasn’t much that could compare. Right now though, it would have to wait.

“Hmm,” April taps her finger to her chin and looks down at the ground. “Maybe…depends.”

“Depends on what?” Andy asks dumbly, his eyes watching her lips with immense interest.

“How awesome this plan of yours is.”

 

There’s a lot more grumbling and stretching before April is finally ready to leave the tent. She doesn’t bother changing into anything else. Andy’s hoodie provides all the comfort she needs. He lets her hop onto his back, piggyback style, just to make her more comfortable. It wasn’t like she weighed much at all. In fact, Andy enjoys it. He loves the way her arms link around his neck, and every once in a while with her chin on his shoulder she’ll turn her head and kiss his cheek or whisper something in his ear. Mostly though, she’s quiet. Sleepy, April rests her head against his and enjoys the ride. 

“We’re almost there,” he says, after about fifteen minutes of walking. A quick trek uphill to the top of the cliff overlooking the rest of the campground. They’ve been here before once, but never this early. Andy’s been here dozens of times with his brothers, and even his father when he was alive. He knows how amazing this is going to be. 

“Good,” April mumbles, letting her fingers play his shirt collar. 

They stop at the top of the cliff. Andy kneels down to let April slide off his back and gets to work setting out the blanket. The edge of the horizon is golden, right where the sky meets the tops of the trees. They can see for miles, and the intermingling dark blues dotted with the remaining stars looks incredible against that faint glow just where the sun will rise. 

“C’mere babe,” Andy sits down on the blanket with a grunt, gesturing to his lap. April wastes no time in scrambling forward, the long sleeves of the sweatshirt she’s still wearing draping low past her hands. She hugs her arms to her chest as she sits right in his lap and Andy immediately wraps his own arms around her. He rubs his nose against the side of her cheek and kisses her there. “Thank you.”

“Yeah,” April yawns again and snuggles against him. “You’re welcome.”

Together, they watch the sun rise up in the sky, over the horizon. The clouds are minimal, and the colors look like a painting Andy’s sure he’s seen before. He’s seen dozens of sun rises in his lifetime, but none were as beautiful as this one. None, because he’s never watched one with April before. 

“Isn’t this awesome?” he breathes. 

April looks up at him for a moment. She’s got that same little smile on her lips and her eyes are soft. “Yeah, it is,” she says. 

“Glad you did this with me,” Andy kisses her head. “I wanted you to see this so bad. It’s amazing.”

“Glad I did too,” she whispers. 

“I can’t wait to take our kids here someday,” Andy says, more to himself than anything. April doesn’t really respond to that.

“Mm,” she hums. She shifts in his lap.

“I love you so much,” Andy says. And he means it, every word, every time. 

“Love you too,” April replies. 

The sun rise was beautiful, but his wife was even more so. Andy just wanted to share this moment with her, but it was so much more than that. He was reminded how lucky he is to have someone he loves so much, enough to do these types of things with, and that was better than all the sun rises in the world.


	95. In Sickness...Again (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Andy is hit hard with the stomach flu, April takes care of him as best as she can. Even if it means getting a little dirty in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by an OTP prompt from tumblr

April hurried back from the pharmacy as quickly as she could. The weight of the shopping bags was straining her arms as she rummaged in her purse for the house key, before she realized she hadn’t even bothered to lock the front door when she’d left in the first place. Once inside, she slammed the door closed behind her with the heel of her foot and tossed the bags onto the counter. 

Her arms were full of Gatorade and nausea medicine when she entered their bedroom. Andy, unsurprisingly, was just where she’d left him, under the covers up to his chest, his skin a sickly pale-greenish hue. Sweat was beaded on his forehead. Champion slept at the foot of the bed, his head resting protectively over Andy’s feet. When he heard his wife enter, Andy lifted his head ever so slightly, but even that simple motion seemed to pain him. 

“I’m back, baby,” April said softly, hurriedly slipping her shoes off and scrambling onto the bed. Sitting on her knees, she uncapped one of the Gatorade bottles and poured some into a large glass. “C’mon, you need to drink this.”

“Not thirsty,” Andy groaned softly, opening his eyes quickly and closing them again. 

“You’ve gotta,” April said, gently but firmly, bringing the glass to Andy’s lips. “Andy, please… You _love_ Gatorade. Look, I got the yellow kind, your favorite.”

“I don’t want it,” Andy said. He sounded like a child. 

“Babe, the doctor said you needed to hydrate. You’re not taking anything in because you haven’t been eating.”

Andy groaned again and turned his head to the other side of the pillow. April stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. He was still warm and clammy. 

It had started a couple of days ago when Andy’s appetite seemingly disappeared. When he refused his favorite type of pizza—cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms and bacon—April was surprised. The following day when he went home early from work because of a stomach ache, she became concerned. Then, when he started throwing up nonstop later that same afternoon, April was worried. They managed to get in to see the doctor last minute—begrudgingly with a little help from Ann—and Andy was diagnosed with the stomach flu. He’d been resigned to their bed ever since. It was honestly the sickest April had ever seen him. 

“I feel sick,” Andy said softly. 

“I know,” April ran her thumb over his cheek. “Just take a few sips for me, okay?”

Andy looked at her. His eyes were so glassy and miserable looking. April hated seeing him like this. Slowly, he leaned forward while April held the glass and he took several large gulps of the drink. 

“Good babe,” she smiled. “This will help, I promise.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled, leaning his head black and closing his eyes. 

“I’m gonna go heat up some soup,” April said. “For later, okay?”

Andy nodded without opening his eyes. April watched him for a moment and sighed, patted Champion on the head, and left the room.

 

April let Andy rest for a couple of hours before trying to get him to eat something. She already had some chicken noodle soup ready, courtesy of Leslie, who had stopped by during lunchtime to drop it off. She swore it worked wonders for her whenever she was sick. Apparently it was a family recipe from Ben. Normally April wouldn’t trust anything Ben offered but she was beyond desperate to get Andy to eat.

It was unnerving seeing her husband this way. Andy was usually a joyous bundle of energy. Nothing could typically bring him down and he rarely got sick, unless he was hungover. This sick and miserably Andy was foreign to April and whenever it _did_ happen she felt helpless. She knew she needed to get over that, though. Her husband needed her, and right now she had to make sure he was taking in some sort of sustenance so he could get his strength back.

She carried the bowl of soup and crackers on a tray with another glass of Gatorade and the nausea medicine the doctor had prescribed. Andy was fast asleep. She went over to his side of the bed and pushed his damp hair back with her hand. 

“Andy,” April whispered. _“Andy?”_

Andy groaned softly, shifting a little under the covers. “Yeah,” he said, slowly blinking himself awake.

“Time to eat,” April said. “I brought you some soup.”

“Ugh,” Andy scrunched his nose up. “No thanks...”

“Andy,” April sighed, “you’ve got to eat something…a few bites, at least. I’m not leaving until you do.”

Andy was staring at her, his eye lids opening and closing slowly. “I don’t want you to leave.”

April smiled. “Well, I don’t have to. But you _do_ need to eat.”

There was a long silence in which they stared at each other, April grasping Andy’s hand over the blanket and Andy just staring back with the faintest hint of a smile on his lips. April wasn’t leaving until he ate something. Or, in this case, she would leave and not come back until he ate. It didn’t matter. She was prepared to do this all day if she needed to.

“Okay,” Andy finally said, after a while.

“Good,” April said, smiling.

Slowly, Andy tried to move. He strained to sit up, his face pained as he tried to readjust himself. It was incredibly strange in the worst way watching her big, strong husband moving like he had no strength. Of course, he _didn’t_ have strength at the moment. It was part of the sickness. Still, it was messing with April’s head a little.

“Come on,” she said, gripping his arm. Together, they managed to get Andy sitting up against the headboard. Once that was done, she gathered some soup and held the spoon up to him.

“Babe,” Andy chuckled. “I can feed myself…”

“Right, I know…”

Andy did better than April thought he would. He managed to eat nearly half the bowl of soup and a few crackers, and he drank all the Gatorade. Lastly, he took the nausea medicine. Once he was finished, he leaned back against the pillows again and closed his eyes.

“Thanks honey,” he said. “Gonna nap more now, I think.”

“Sure.”

April hoisted herself up and scooted up to the pillows. Andy looked over at her, a confused expression on his face. 

“Babe,” he said. “What are you—?”

“I’m gonna rest with you,” April says simply, shimmying out of her jeans. 

“I’m sick, though,” Andy said. “You’ll catch it.”

“Andy, I’ll be fine,” she rolled her eyes. “C’mon, I’m trying to make you feel better.”

Andy’s expression was pained. On the one hand he was staring at her longingly, and April knew he missed her touch. On the other, he seemed nervous.

“What if I throw up on you?”

“You won’t,” April said, more confidently than she had any right to be. “I think you’re done throwing up. It’s been like twelve hours.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she nodded.

“Okay,” Andy said, hesitantly.

April smiled and slid beneath the covers with him. He was warm still, the sheets were sweaty beneath him, but it felt so good to hold him again that April didn’t care in the slightest. Likewise, Andy let out a deep sigh and snuggled into her as he lay back and closed his eyes.

It was barely five minutes later that it all went terribly wrong, as Andy feared it would. He sat up suddenly in bed, his face looking all the more greenish.

“Babe?” April looked at him. “You okay?”

“Shit,” he groaned, running a hand slowly through his hair before rubbing his lower stomach.

“Andy—“

April didn’t have time to react fast enough. Puke soaked the bedsheets, April’s clothes, Andy’s entire torso…the remnants of the soup and Gatorade making another appearance. Horrified, Andy looked at her with large, bloodshot eyes.

“Honey,” he said, his voice hoarse, “I am so, so, _so_ sorry!”

“Andy, it’s okay,” April said softly, slowly sitting up out of bed and getting to her knees again. She carefully peeled off her filthy shirt.

“I’m—it was something I—I don’t know what happened—“ Andy was stammering, working himself up into even more of a sweat.

“Andy,” April placed a clean hand over his mouth and shushed him. Yes, she was covered in puke from parts of her hair down to her chest. Sure, their bedsheets were probably ruined. Andy definitely needed a shower or bath…hell, now they both did. Still, she wasn’t angry. He was sick. It wasn’t his fault. Honestly, it was hers for chancing it in the first place.

“I smelled something weird and it made my stomach sick,” he said miserably, as April stood and carefully helped him to his feet.

“It’s fine, babe,” she said, again and again, as she helped him out of his clothes. “C’mon…”

“What’re we doing?”

“Bath,” April said simply.

 

April filled the tub. She didn’t add any bubblebath this time, just in case the flowery scent made Andy’s stomach churn again. Apparently what had set him off was her own shampoo she’d used earlier that day. It was scented like vanilla, and every other day Andy absolutely loved it. Now with the stomach bug, not so much.

She made sure the water was warm before ordering him to get in. Obediently he stripped his underwear off and climbed in, and April set to work washing him. With a facecloth she made sure to get every last spot from head to toe. Truthfully, even if he didn’t throw up all over himself, he needed one. It had been a few days since his last shower.

Andy groaned appreciatively at her touch as he relaxed in the water. Maybe it was the steam, or maybe it was the warmth, but whatever it was, it seemed to be helping.

“This is amazing, honey,” he said, eyes closed and leaning back. “Thank you…I’m sorry again.”

“Shh,” she instructed, soaping up his hair and working up a lather. Yeah, maybe he was sick, but she still got plenty of joy out of scrubbing down her husband. It wasn’t entirely a bad situation. “Don’t worry about it, I already told you it’s fine.”

“What about you?” Andy asked after a while. “You uh, you got some in your hair,” he said, reaching up and bringing his finger to her forehead.

“I’ll take care of me later,” she shrugged, running water over his head until the remainder of the shampoo ran down his back in cascading rivulets.

“You can come in with me, if you want,” he said softly.

April grinned. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” she said. “You’re not feeling good.”

“C’mon babe,” Andy said, smiling for what seemed like the first time in days. “I wanna wash your hair.”

April bit her lip. Then, slowly she stood up and started to peel off the rest of her clothes. Piece by piece, she tossed the dirty clothing in a pile and stepped into the tub, sinking low into the water with her back pressed up against Andy’s chest.

Immediately Andy started to work his hands through her hair, wetting it and soaping it up, just as she’d done for him. Now it was April’s turn to groan.

“Andy that’s amazing,” she whispered, closing her eyes and leaning back even further to get more comfortable. “Thank you.”

“You like it?” he asked.

“I love it.” His big hands were heavenly, his fingers massaging her scalp in all the right ways. It went on for at least five more minutes. Then, Andy helped to rinse her hair with fresh water. “Are you feeling any better?” April asked, looking up at him once her hair was shiny and black once more, all the bubbles gone.

“Yeah, I think I am,” Andy nodded. “After I threw up that last time my stomach kinda feels like it’s getting back to normal again.” He traced the wet path from her shoulder down to her elbow with his finger. Then he reached for her hand.

“That’s great, babe,” April looked up at him and smiled.

By now, the water was cool. April shivered, and Andy leaned forward and wrapped her tight in his arms.

“Wanna get out now?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Andy nodded.

“I’ve got to change the sheets,” April sighed, standing up slowly and helping Andy up by the hand. One by one they stepped out of the tub and April handed him a towel to dry, wrapping one around herself after.

“Did I ruin them?” Andy asked, looking ashamed. “The sheets?”

“If you did, who cares?” April shrugged. “Most of them were ones we stole from Ben, anyway. We have others.”

“Sweet,” Andy grinned.

 

It took a while, but after sending Andy to rest on the couch for a bit and changing the dirty sheets (April just tossed them all into a huge garbage bag…she had no time for laundry), the bed was fresh again and Andy climbed into it gratefully, his eyes looking droopy. April climbed up next to him.

“So, you think you might want to eat a little bit again?” she asked hopefully.

“Not yet,” Andy shook his head. “I’ll drink more Gatorade, though.”

Well, it was better than nothing. April poured him another glass and Andy downed it, gulping thirstily. Once he was done, he snuggled deep under the covers against her, pressing their foreheads together.

“Thank you for everything today,” Andy whispered, yawning wide. “Don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Don’t thank me,” April yawned too, her eyes fighting to stay awake. “Just make sure you take care of me next time I get sick.” It was only fair. She knew he would anyway. Andy was amazing when it came to caring for her, so right now she was merely returning the favor as best as she could.

“Deal,” Andy said immediately, giving her a soft kiss. Then, they both fell into an easy, restful sleep.


	96. Sleep (Rated T)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy's pretty sure he's dating the coolest girl in the entire world, and it's only been a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Requested anonymously on tumblr as April falling asleep on Andy! <3

“Babe,” Andy whispered, following behind April as she let herself into her parents’ house at some ungodly hour of the morning, “are you sure your mom and dad are gonna care if I’m coming over to hang out with you this late, y’know, in your room and everything?”

“What are we, twelve?” April scoffed. She reached for his hand and tugged him inside behind her. “They’re asleep.” She shut the door with a soft click.

“Oh.”

“C’mon, I’m exhausted,” she yawned. 

“Yeah, the movie got out late,” Andy nodded. “So awesome, by the way…”

“What?” April smirked at him, removing her shoes per her mom and dad’s house rule. Andy followed suit, tossing his giant sneakers beside her small flats with a dull thud. 

“Shit, sorry!” he winced, looking around in case the sound was too loud.

“Do you mean the dumb movie or how we made out the entire time in the back row?” April asked.

“Oh, both!” Andy said cheerily, and April just rolled her eyes at him. She did that a lot, but it was always accompanied by a little smile just for him.

It had been one week since they’d started dating, and as far as Andy was concerned, April Ludgate was the _coolest_ chick in the world. He loved every minute they’d spent together so far, filled with lunches at the shoeshine stand, pranks played on Jerry, sneaking into the movie theater, or make-out sessions in the car…or Leslie’s office…or pretty much anywhere else they could sneak away to. It was the _best._

“C’mon,” April tugged him forward. She led him to the stairs and up to her room. “Let’s go watch TV or something.”

Andy looked around nervously, afraid that her parents were going to appear out of no where and scold them for being out together so late. He didn’t know why he was so nervous about it. April was a grown woman, and like she said, they weren’t kids. She could make her own decisions. Then again, he was probably nervous because he really, really liked April and he didn’t want to screw this up. He’d only met her parents once and he wanted them to like him, and _keep_ liking him.

“Okay,” Andy said, keeping his voice low. Together they tiptoed past the closed door of her parents’ room and another door where her sister Natalie slept. At the end of the hall, April’s room was to the left, and she led him inside and quickly closed the door behind them.

Andy looked around. April’s room wasn’t at all what he expected. In his mind, he was expecting a dark, gloomy space with black walls and maybe creepy stuff all over the place. Maybe some fake spider webs and bottles of fake blood. Instead, The walls were painted a soft, greenish-blue, and covered with random posters for bands he never listened to, some he’d never even heard of. Her bed looked soft and comfortable and had a purple comforter with plenty of pillows. On it was several stuffed animals that Andy was _sure_ April would never admit to having to anyone else other than him. On her desk was a laptop and some notebooks, a scattering of CDs, and other random assorted items. A small television sat on a little end table. Clothes were all over the place.

“Well,” April shrugged, watching him look around. “This is my room.”

“I love it,” Andy grinned. 

“You do?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I especially love all the stuffed animals.” He gestured toward the bed. “Really give the place a cute touch.”

“Shut up!” April shrugged off her sweatshirt and tossed it at him. Andy dodged it, laughing almost too loudly. “I’ve had those stuffed animals since I was a kid, okay? They’re all cooler than most people.”

“I’m not judging,” Andy said truthfully.

April sat on her bed and stretched. When Andy didn’t make a move, she looked at him expectantly. “You coming?”

“Uh,” Andy felt his face warming up. They’d made out plenty of times by now, but they’d never shared a bed before. Even in this completely regular scenario—she just wanted to cuddle and watch TV—something about it was very new. “Yeah, sure,” he replied. He joined her on the bed and stretched out on his back, molding to the mattress with a heavy groan of the springs. This bed definitely wasn’t made for two, let alone someone of Andy’s size.

April wasted no time in curling up against him and tucking herself up under his arm, pressing her head against his chest. She let out a heavy sigh. “This is good.” She closed her eyes immediately. “I’m so tired.”

Andy took a deep breath. If you didn’t count making out, this was most intimate they’d been physically since they’d started dating. Andy wasn’t going to lie about the fact that he’d often thought about April in other ways, other scenarios that he would never share with anyone in the world, but now with her so close to him, her tiny body so warm and comfortable against his, he couldn’t help but feel himself reacting. It had happened a few times before while they made out, but either April had never noticed or she didn’t care.

“Andy,” April mumbled, tapping her fingers on his stomach. “Are you okay? You seem tense.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he nodded, trying to adjust himself so they were both comfortable and his problem wasn’t so _obvious._ “Y’know, just…just thinking about how awesome you are.”

“Sure,” April chuckled softly.

“No, really,” Andy said, and it was absolutely true, because she was awesome…and beautiful…and incredible. “April, I’ve been having so much fun this past week you don’t even know.”

“I do know,” she said, and Andy could tell she meant it. “I really love hanging out with you, Andy. I wouldn’t have wanted to be with you if I didn’t.”

“Right. You’re literally the coolest,” Andy rubbed her shoulder. “I mean it.”

“Mhm…”

They were quiet for a little while. Andy listened to April’s breathing, occasionally entwining his fingers with her hand that was resting on his stomach. After a while they put the TV on softly and caught the end of some action movie Andy had seen a million times before.

“Oh, this is the best part!” he said excitedly. 

“Dude, you like the dumbest movies,” April shook her head, groaning.

“They’re dumb but they’re awesome,” Andy said. “Watch! This is the part where the guy blows up the helicopter.” He began to recite the lines word for word, one of his favorite past-times. At some point April told him to stop and they were silent once more.

“So,” April mumbled, her voice slightly muffled against him, “what do you wanna do tomorrow?” She rolled onto her side fully so she could rest more of her weight against him.

“Hmm,” Andy said, his fingers trailing up and down her bare arm. “We could sneak into another movie. Or we could go egg Jerry’s house. Oh! You could watch me rehearse with my band. I dunno, the options are endless. What d’you think?”

April didn’t respond. Andy glanced down at her as best as he could. It was hard to tell what was going on at the angle they were laying down. 

“April?”

April’s chest rose and fell against him, her eyes shifting slightly beneath their lids. Her fingers were slack against his stomach now, and her breathing had gotten much deeper and leveled out. He hadn’t even noticed she’d drifted off.

Andy smiled. Somehow, with a little stealthy maneuvering, he managed to grab hold of the quilt and tug it up around them.

“Night April,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

Andy couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow was going to bring them. With April, it was bound to be amazing.


End file.
